


One More Kiss

by Hermioneshandbag (Obscurilicious)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Post-Sirius Black in Azkaban
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-16
Updated: 2018-08-16
Packaged: 2019-06-28 10:30:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15705420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obscurilicious/pseuds/Hermioneshandbag
Summary: Tonks brings her American friend to The Order of the Phoenix and Sirius ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

You dropped down into your chair and laid your head on your desk. “I do want to make my own way, I do want to make my own way, I do want to make my own way,” you chanted quietly. You did not regret throwing away your Auror training and four years in the field. You did not regret your decision to come to Great Britain and work for the Ministry instead of begging your mother, a high-ranking MACUSA official with Presidential aspirations, to pull strings for you to get a job in the Agency for the Regulation of Magical Creatures there.

Most of the time.

But damn, did you have to get sent out on every Bundimun infestation? Yes, you realized that they could destroy houses left unchecked, but they were smelly and spit acid and you had lost several pair of really cute shoes from their excretions when the acid burned through your overshoes. You learned the hard way to bring cheap shoes you didn’t care about to wear on jobs.

All you had wanted to do was come to work for the Ministry in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, maybe meet your idol Newt Scamander and write a book almost as famous as his, then be hailed as a world-renowned expert on magical creatures and asked to give lectures and possibly accept a teaching position at Hogwarts. But being the lowest person in the food chain in the Pest Advisory Board was the next best thing, right?

No. Not even close.

“Y/N, are you sleeping?” your friend Tonks asked as she wandered into your cubicle.

You popped upright immediately. “No! I’m not!”

“Relax, weirdo, I know you’re not, I just saw you walk in two minutes ago.”

“Oh hush you,” you grumbled. “Last thing I need is my boss to think I’m napping on the job. She’ll find something nastier than Bundimuns to sic me on.”

“Merlin forbid. Your footwear wardrobe cannot handle the stress.”

“I thought you were my friend?” you asked in a crabby voice.

“And as your friend, I was wondering if I could buy you lunch?”

“Oh, no. Nothing good can come of this,” you muttered suspiciously.

“C’mon. I’ll even call the chips ‘fries’ for the entire meal,” she coaxed.

“Now I know you want something. Out with it.”

“When we get there, yeah?”

* * *

“So you obviously want something,” you said after Tonks had been nervously making small talk.

“I do, but I’m waiting for Moody to get here.”

“Moody?” you exclaimed. “Why?”

“Because she wants me to see if you can be trusted.”

You gasped and jumped in your seat a bit, then stood up and said, “Auror Moody, how nice to see you.”

He looked at you shrewdly for a moment and sat down at your table. “Lies fairly well. That could come in handy.”

“Excuse me?” you asked, a bit insulted.

“Nobody is ever happy to see me. You obviously lied, but I didn’t see any obvious tells.”

“Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.”

“I asked Moody here to get to know you a bit since we’re such good friends,” Tonks added.

“Ah…thank you?” you repeated, completely confused at the situation.

“What do you know about death eaters, girl?”

Your eyes went wide and shot from Moody to Tonks. “Ah they’re generally evil?”

“Let’s see those arms, girl. Push your sleeves up.”

You did as you were told and showed Moody your arms, proving you didn’t have the telltale tattoos of a follower of Voldemort.

“She’ll do,” he said, passing you a piece of paper. “See you tonight.”

With that, Moody got up and left, no more fanfare than when he arrived.

“What the hell was that all about, Tonks?” you asked, eyes still wide in amazement at the encounter with the legendary Auror.

Tonks leaned close and said, “I’m a member of a secret organization that is fighting You-Know-Who. He’s come back and I hoped that you would be willing to join us. But, Moody wanted to look you over before he would let me ask you.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. So what do you think?”

“I think I came here to make a difference, and that’s not gonna happen as a magical rat catcher. I’m in,” you said as you unfolded the piece of paper Moody had handed you. “What’s this?”

“The address of the headquarters. Memorize and burn. It’s unplotted and that’s from the secret keeper.”

“Oh, wow,” you said as the gravity of the situation hit home.

“Yeah. So…make sure.”

“I’m sure. I want to help.”

* * *

You made plans with Tonks to meet after work, get some dinner and go to the meeting together. You went to a restaurant not far from the meeting and were barely able to hold still at the table. You were a few years older than Tonks, but right now she looked like a Mum out to dinner with her ill-behaved child.

“You’re squirming like a toddler, Y/N,” Tonks observed quietly.

“Sorry. I’m just really nervous. I don’t like meeting new people.”

“Really? You’d never know it.”

“Mother made sure I could comport myself. Doesn’t mean I like it.”

“You sure you want to do this?”

“Yes, I am. Sorry,” you said, smiling reassuringly. “It’s a bit like stage fright. I’ll be OK once we get there.”

* * *

You followed Tonks to the row of houses, approaching and then entering number 12. “Well, this isn’t grim or terrifying. Was Dracula’s castle already booked?”

“It has more protection and magical wards than any other building except perhaps Hogwarts.”

“Yikes. What poor paranoid bastard did all that?”

“My father, actually,” a deep voice said from around the corner.

“Eep,” you said eloquently, jumping noticeably. Great, you thought. Way to make a good first impression.

“Sirius, be nice,” Tonks scolded, pulling you down the hallway and around the corner. There you saw a tall, handsome man in deep blue wizard robes, worn carelessly over charcoal trousers and a crisp, white button down shirt. With longish black hair and piercing grey eyes, he was breathtaking. You reconsidered your initial evaluation of merely handsome. More like gorgeous. Stunning. Godlike.

“Holy shit,” you whispered under your breath.

Tonks cleared her throat and said, “Y/N, this is my cousin Sirius Black.”

“Oh!” you exclaimed. “The dude that escaped from Azkaban. Sweet. But I thought you would be ahhhh older?”

Sirius grinned and bowed slightly and said, “At your service. Will your husband, fiance or boyfriend be joining us?”

“Smooth, Sirius,” Tonks snarked with an eyeroll.

You blushed and realized you had been blatantly staring at the man like he was a particularly tasty looking cake in a bakery case and you had a serious sweet tooth. _Ha serious sweet tooth for Sirius._ Which wasn’t wrong, but, _damn Y/N, try not to drool_ , you told yourself.

Sirius winked at Tonks. “The meeting is going to start soon. I was just waiting for you to knock something over and wake up the shrew.”

Tonks flipped the V sign at Sirius and he chuckled and gestured for the two of you to precede him to the stairs to the kitchen, where the meeting would be held. You followed Tonks downstairs and took an empty seat, Sirius promptly taking the chair next to you.

“Oi!” Tonks sputtered.

“Oh, go take my chair by Remus. We both know you’d rather sit there anyway,” he whispered back.

“Shut it,” she hissed, but then went and sat by Remus with no more complaint. Interesting.

“How intriguing. Tonks has a crush on him?” you whispered to Sirius.

“Yes,” he whispered back.

“Does he know?”

“Remus wouldn’t recognize a crush on him if it bit him on the arse and said boo.”

“This could be fun to watch.” You turned to look at him quickly, looking ashamed. “That sounds bad. I’m not a bitch, I swear.”

Sirius laughed quietly.

“Sirius, who do we have here?” an old wizard with a long white beard asked.

Tonks spoke up. “This is my friend from work Y/N Y/L/N.”

“I met with her,” Moody chimed in. “She’s good.”

“Well, then you come highly recommended indeed. Welcome.”

“Thank you,” you said with a gracious smile.

* * *

The rest of the meeting continued with discussions of Voldemort’s return and preparations for when he began a new reign of terror that you had heard nothing of at the Ministry. The lack of concern by the Minister of Magic was appalling and you were disgusted. It made your ridiculous job even more ridiculous to you. You were educated and an experienced Auror in America. Even though you had requested the Department of Magical Creatures, with this kind of crisis, why wouldn’t they want every pair of boots on the ground?

When the meeting wrapped up you were thoughtful and quiet. You’d had no idea what was going on around you. Granted, you had only lived within this wizarding community for less than a year, but nobody had said word one about this.

You were still staring at the tabletop when you realized that Tonks was saying your name.

“Huh?”

“Are you alright, mate?” she said slowly, as if she had asked the question at least once before.

You looked around and noticed that only Sirius, Remus and Tonks remained in the room with you.

“Why does no one talk about this?” you asked quietly.

“The Ministry officially does not believe that Voldemort had returned,” Sirius said just as quietly, as if he was afraid to spook you. “Come up and sit with us, we’ll get you a drink.”

“OK,” you said.

* * *

You followed Sirius upstairs to a sitting room and sat down on a rather uncomfortable settee. He pressed a glass of something brown into your hand and you sipped it. “I’m not having a breakdown, you know? I’m just reeling at all that’s happening and how it’s just being ignored.”

“Minister Fudge is paranoid about Dumbledore preparing to lead a coups and take over the Ministry. Therefore,” Remus stated, “he ignores anything Dumbledore says.”

“He would argue that the sky is purple with green and orange polka dots if Dumbles said it was blue,” Sirius said dryly.

You took a deep breath and then let it out in a huff. “Shit.”

“What?” Tonks said, concerned.

“This house has a Bundimun infestation.”

Tonks started laughing her ass off while Sirius and Remus looked at the two of you like you were insane.

* * *

After you talked a little while longer, you realized that you had been sitting rather close to Sirius – and that it was comforting as well as comfortable. You had rarely felt so instantly at ease around people, man or woman.

“I should get going, I’m sure you don’t need me underfoot,” you said with a laugh.

“Nonsense, I’m enjoying your company,” Sirius said with a smile. “And Remus gets tired of my blather. Nice to have someone else to chat with.”

You smiled at his kindness. “I can come by this weekend to get rid of the Bundimuns if you’d like.”

“That would be great, it’s a date!” Sirius responded, clapping his hands once and rubbing them together in anticipation.

“A date? Wow. You know how to show a girl a good time.” You wiggled your eyebrows. “If you think that’s fun maybe we’ll get lucky and find some Chizpurfles.”

“Why you naughty girl!” Sirius flirted. “Normally I like to be the only pest in a relationship.”

“Alright you two. Don’t make me get the hose. C’mon, Y/N, we should get going,” Tonks said sternly.

Sirius popped to his feet and grasped your hand, dropping a kiss to the back of it. “Until this weekend, my dear.”

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” you said with a dramatic look on your face, the back of your other hand pressed to your forehead.

Remus smiled and said, “It was lovely to meet you, Y/N.”

“You too, Remus. See you soon.”

“Bye, Sirius, Remus,” Tonks said.

* * *

The two of you walked a bit away from the house and Tonks slapped your arm. “What was all that? ‘Oh, Sirius, you know how to show a girl a good time!’” she mimicked in a high pitched voice. “Merlin, you practically made out with him in front of Remus and me.”

“OK, we’re gonna come back to Remus, and oh my stars your cousin is gorgeous! But your impression sounded nothing like me.”

You laughed together for a moment before she responded. “I’ve just never seen you flirt before. It was weird.”

You nodded in understanding. “Oh, yeah of course, he’s your cousin. I’ll stay away, no problem.”

“Nooo! That’s not what I meant at all! We work with some fit blokes, and I’ve seen some of them hit on you, and before you say that it’s because we were at work, we’ve been round the pub after hours and you’ve had offers that you always politely decline there, too.”

“So, it wasn’t weird because it’s Sirius? You don’t want me to avoid him?”

“Merlin, no! That’s the first time I’ve seen him happy since before he went to prison. Marry him, please. Nobody likes a bitchy Sirius.”

“Oh well maybe it can be a double wedding, hmmm?”

“Shut it.”

“You like Remus?”

“Yeah, I guess. He’s not interested, though.”

“Sirius says that he’s oblivious, not disinterested,” you reassured your friend. “And why didn’t I know about this, by the way? I thought being your best friend carried a little cachet, but apparently I don’t need to know important romantic information.”

“I couldn’t tell you! The first thing you would have asked was where did I meet him? When do I see him? When can you meet him?”

“True. Still. You could have avoided the super secret organization part to tell me about a guy you’re apparently head over heels for.”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” she said resentfully. “He thinks he’s not good enough for anyone, so I don’t see anything happening.”

“Why not? He’s handsome, seems nice. Might be a little old for you, but boys are generally less mature.”

“He’s the same age as Sirius, Y/N.”

“And I am a few years older than you, my dearest darling,” you said, pinching her cheek until she slapped your hand away. “But that still doesn’t explain why he doesn’t think he’s good enough.”

“Well…you’ll find out eventually. Remus is a werewolf. He was bitten when he was a tiny boy. Dumbledore let him come to Hogwarts and he became best friends with Sirius, Harry’s Dad James and a complete creep called Peter who is with Voldemort and betrayed James and his wife. They became animagi to help Remus with his shifts.”

“Sirius? What does he become?”

“A huge dog.”

“Ah hence the hose. Gotcha.”

“Right.”

You walked in silence for a few minutes, deep in thought.

“So Peter is the reason Sirius went to Azkaban?” you asked quietly.

“Yeah.”

“Wow. That poor man. As if losing his friends wasn’t bad enough, he gets blamed and sent to prison.”

“Everyone believed it, too. He had no one.”

“That’s awful. Wow. What a shit lot he drew.”

Tonks laughed bitterly. “You haven’t even heard about his family yet.”


	2. Chapter 2

You dealt with a few more pest infestations and the subsequent paperwork that week, and as it got closer to the weekend, you grew more nervous. You regretted your out-of-character flirtatious behavior with Sirius. What if he thought you were, well, friendlier than you actually were?

Then again…what if being around him made you friendlier than you usually were? He was gorgeous and witty and sexy and oh boy he could be trouble.

You would just be polite and professional, but nothing more. Surely his flirtatious behavior had been a response to your silly, childish antics when you saw him. In fact, you’d be surprised if he wasn’t quite accustomed to people being struck dumb at his beauty. Probably happened every day.

You would simply go to his house on Saturday and treat it like any other Bundimun infestation: get suited up, get in, clear them out and get out. Bonus: no paperwork. Simple as can be.

* * *

You knocked at the door around 10 in the morning. You hadn’t discussed a time so you thought that was late enough that he should be up and around. The door opened a few moments after you knocked. Sirius flashed you a grin and pulled you inside, nodding to the curtain covered portrait with a finger over his lips as he grabbed your bag to carry for you and led you down the hall into a room, closing the door. “How are you today, darling?”

You squeaked a bit at his endearment, then cleared your throat. “Ahem. I’m well, thank you. How are you?”

“Never thought I’d look forward to pest extermination, but I’ve never seen such a pretty exterminator, either.”

“You’re way prettier than me!” you exclaimed, then gasped in embarrassment as you realized what you had said.

Sirius barked a glorious laugh that you somehow knew wasn’t at you, but with joy. You looked at him and noticed that he was dressed very differently than he had been for the meeting; then he had been wearing wizards robes, if over trousers. Now he had on low-slung, faded jeans and a ratty David Bowie t-shirt and some beat up Docs. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, which served to draw attention to his high cheekbones and strong jaw.

He looked good enough to eat.

Sirius noticed you noticing him, of course, and though it had been a while, he still knew when a woman was attracted to him. And he was definitely attracted to you, but you seemed far more hesitant than you had when first you met. Had Tonks warned you off? The little twerp.

He looked you up and down as well. You were wearing some faded jeans with a hole in the knee and the pockets worn, and a concert t-shirt from a band called Alice in Chains that was also fairly ratty. If you were trying to be unattractive for him, you went with the wrong look. Right now he wanted to bend you over the back of the settee and take you, then take you for a ride on his motorcycle.

“So,” he said softly, loathe to break the spell but knowing the longer you stared at each other, the more embarrassed you would be after.

“Oh!” you responded, flushing as he expected. “We should begin in the highest floor. I assume the attic?”

“Yes. This way. Can I help at all?”

“Not once I get in there. Nasty little shits spit acid. Ruined so many pairs of shoes,” you said wistfully. “Where can I put on my protective gear?”

“My bedroom is this way,” he said as he gestured to the steps.

“Really?” you asked skeptically.

He leaned forward and tapped your nose with his fingertip. “Really. I haven’t made the other rooms habitable, apart from one for Remus, and I didn’t think you’d want to go into his room without his permission.”

“No, of course not.”

“But you can feel free to check under my bed for monsters while you’re in there,” he purred with a wink.

“Oh, I have a feeling I’d only need to look in the bed to find the monster,” you flirted back without thinking.

“Excellent, my reputation precedes me. I assume you meant either my prowess in bed or the size–”

You quickly covered his mouth with your hand, seeing the crinkle of his eyes to know that he was enjoying this exchange immensely.

“You’re a large child, aren’t you?”

He nodded.

“Then I’ll treat you like one,” you informed him. “If I take my hand away can you be a good boy?”

He nodded again, but his eyes were still filled with mischief.

Somehow you had drifted closer to each other. When did that happen? Your chests were almost touching. “If I take my hand away, will you be a good boy?”

He shrugged, hands held out to the sides, palms up, and you felt his lips curve into a bigger smile against your palm, then his tongue darted out and he flicked it against your fingers.

You gasped and pulled your hand away, and suddenly he had more than mischief in his eyes.

“We should get busy,” you whispered.

“Yeah.”

You turned and headed up the stairs, Sirius following behind and looking at your ass, imagining all the naughty things he wanted to do with you.

* * *

After you got geared up and headed up yet another flight of stairs to the attic, Sirius reached over the doorway to the attic to get the key from the lintel, and his t-shirt rode up to reveal a strip of skin above his jeans, his treasure trail begging to be played with and kissed. Shit, this man was a walking, talking sin. Temptation personified.

Sirius heard your unconscious sigh and looked down to see you staring at his exposed skin. Just to be ornery, he felt around a little longer than necessary to find the key. He might have been enjoying this a bit too much.

When he came down with the key he whispered, “I can take the shirt off if you want to see anything higher, love.”

You took a split second to decide if you were feeling mortified or sassy. You decided to go with sassy and patted his cheek. “I wasn’t looking up, sweetheart,” you purred, then you snatched the key out of his hand, enjoying his surprised expression as you unlocked the door and went into the attic.

“Stay out there,” you called out, both for the sake of working and just to get some distance.

* * *

_So much for polite and professional, Y/N,_ you thought to yourself. You’d barely cleared the doorway before you started flirting with him. To be fair, he started it, but it seemed like flirting was like breathing to him: natural and necessary.

You focused on the job, casting the necessary detection and extermination spells, dodging acid spit and cursing when some hit you. You quickly cast Scourgify and Tergeo spells to remove the Bundimuns and their acid in turn. More complicated spell combos were needed when you found large clumps of the creatures, but they were taken care of in short order.

You ran some detection spells and the attic was clear. Now you would go through the rest of the house floor by floor repeating the process.

You took a deep breath and headed to the door, prepared to face Sirius and be professional and polite.

“One down, six to go,” you said cheerfully as you came out the door to find Sirius lounging on the stairs waiting for you.

“Great, thanks. That’s quite an impressive vocabulary you have there, love.”

“Ah, you heard that, huh? Usually the home owner isn’t around when I do my job. Sorry.”

“No need at all, darling. I learned a few new swear words that will both delight and annoy.”

“Delight you by annoying Remus?”

Sirius simply smiled.

“Large. Child.”

“Amazing how quickly you’ve figured me out. I don’t feel like I’ve solved any of your mysteries yet.”

“Well, right now I need to sweep the rest of the house. You can investigate me later,” you deadpanned.

“Oh? Is that a promise?” he drawled.

“Probably not in the way you’re thinking, no.”

“Bugger.”

* * *

You cleared the floor with Sirius’ bedroom and reached a doorway on the floor below when Sirius stopped you. “Um, need to take extra care in this room. I’ll come in with you.”

You gave him a look that conveyed a little skepticism and concern. “What’s in there?”

“A…ah a friend of mine?” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“You have a friend locked in a bedroom,” you stated. “May I say that it is no longer all that appealing to be your friend?”

“Darling, I would only ever lock you in my bedroom,” he drawled.

“Yeah that really isn’t all that comforting, ya psycho,” you laughed.

He smiled. “When Harry broke me out of the office I was locked in at Hogwarts when I was waiting for the dementors, he flew up on a Hippogriff and I escaped on him.”

“You have a freaking Hippogriff in a bedroom? Sirius!” you scolded disapprovingly.

“Well, what am I supposed to do with him?” he responded, throwing his hands up. “He has a death penalty hanging over him, too!”

“Oh. Well…OK, I guess…can you bring him out into the hallway so I can clear the room?”

“Yeah, sure,” he answered.

“But…can I meet him? I’ve never seen one in person. And a Hippogriff is actually my patronus.”

He smiled. “Of course. You know what to do, yeah?”

“Yeah. My ancestors bred them before they came over to America, so I’ve always been fascinated.”

“Right. Let’s go.”

He opened the door and walked over to hug and pet the creature. “Hello, Buckbeak. I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine. And, don’t say anything, but I really fancy her, so if you could be a good mate and talk me up I’d be grateful,” he said loudly enough for you to hear. “Buckbeak, this is Y/N.”

You made eye contact and maintained it as you bowed politely. The Hippogriff immediately bowed back to you, and you moved into the room to cautiously stroke the soft feathers on his neck.

“Amazing,” Sirius breathed. “I’ve never seen him take to anyone that quickly before.”

“I’m usually really good with meeting new friends. Well…unless they’re human. Then not so much.”

“I think you do just fine,” he flirted.

“No mere human can compete with a big handsome guy like you, though, can he?” you said to Buckbeak.

“Mate!” Sirius said playfully. “I said to help me out, not steal her for yourself!”

Buckbeak preened under the attention.

* * *

You finally finished checking for pests, going over all seven floors of the house with thorough efficiency.

You climbed back up to Sirius’ bedroom and changed out of your gear and tidied your hair that the goggles had wrecked. Then you returned to him in the kitchen where he placed a cup of tea in front of you.

“Your house is huge, Sirius,” you said, tired from spellwork and stairs. “I see how you stay in shape.”

Sirius smiled into his teacup. “Should have seen me a few months ago, I was just skin and bones.”

You reached over and grabbed his hand. “I wasn’t making light! I know you’ve been through hell. I just meant the house has a ton of stairs and your bedroom is all the way up top!”

“I know that,” he said, squeezing your hand. “Doesn’t seem like you have a mean bone in your body. But I’ll be happy to check.” Another wink.

“You’re slipping, Black, I thought you’d offer to loan me yours.”

Sirius’ eyes flew open wide and he laughed so hard he doubled over. You joined him in his laughter, happy to have lightened the mood. Then you realized that somehow, your hands were still linked. He must have realized it, too, because he picked up your joined hands and kissed yours.

“Thank you for ridding my house of most of its pests, Y/N,” he said with a smile.

“Well, I left the most handsome one.”

“And I appreciate both the compliment and that you didn’t exterminate me.”

You smiled at him a bit dreamily for a moment before you caught yourself staring again. “I suppose I should get going,” you said, looking at the time.

“Stay. Stay for dinner?” he asked, almost urgently.

“Sirius, all flirting aside, I’m not…ahh gonna fall into bed with you. We’re like…coworkers. That could get weird in a hurry.”

“Of course,” he murmured. “Remus will be back soon if that has any influence on your decision. And I believe Tonks is also invited.”

“Well then that sounds fun,” you said, relieved. “What are we having?”

“Probably takeaway. What sounds good?”

“Pizza?”

“There’s a good place not too far from here Remus goes to get pizza.”

“Wanna change and go with me?”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” he said, looking down at his clothes. “They’re Muggle clothes, I blend.”

“Well nothing, you actually look amazing in jeans.” You cleared your throat as he grinned. “But I kinda thought it would be safer for you to accompany me in your dog form.”

“Tonks told you? And you don’t care?”

“Why would I?”

“Because I’m unregistered. It’s illegal,” he said, as if to a child.

You squeezed his hand that you were somehow still holding. “Sweetie, you’re an escaped fugitive wanted for murder most foul. A little illegal animagus action on the side is kind of superfluous, don’t you think?”

Sirius smiled a little sadly and said, “Are you sure you’re not up to some weirdness with a coworker? Because you’re bloody perfect, love.”

You felt your cheeks heat. “Pffff perfect. Nah. Maybe amazing or awesome, wonderful…but perfect?”

“Perfect,” he whispered as he leaned closer to you and brushed his lips against yours.

You gasped quietly as his lips touched yours, then moved closer to him, pressing your lips to his more firmly. He moaned against your mouth and pulled you still closer, teasing your lips open to deepen the kiss when you started to fall off your chair and broke the contact.

You both laughed at your clumsiness, and then you bit your lip and went over to sit on his lap and kiss him properly. And oh, the man could kiss. You were necking like teenagers and completely oblivious when you finally heard a chorus of ‘Ahems’ as Remus and Tonks repeatedly cleared their throats loudly to distract the two of you from your make-out session.

You tried to hop up but Sirius held you still. “My house, darling. I can kiss you in the kitchen if I want to.”

“Hello, Y/N,” Remus said with a wide smile.

“You look comfortable, Y/N,” your friend said. “Hello, cousin dearest. You seem to have my best mate trapped on your lap.”

“I’m hardly trapped,” you muttered, then realized why Sirius had held you on his lap when you felt a rather large protrusion in his jeans. OK, that was promising. “I kinda like it here.”

“Thank you, darling,” Sirius said with a smile and wink. “My lap is at your disposal, night and day.”

* * *

Sirius pouted as Remus said he couldn’t accompany you to the pizza place, so you and Tonks walked together. You dreaded the inevitable interrogation once you cleared the door.

“Sooooooo,” Tonks drawled. “You two looked awfully coooozy.”

“Ugh. He’s like human Amortentia! I have zero control around him! I look at him and I want to rip–”

“Yeah yeah I get it,” she interrupted. “Still my cousin. Ew.”

“You don’t get it. I have never felt this way before. I dated my ex for three years and I would call it puppy love by comparison. If you two hadn’t walked in, we probably–”

“AGAIN,” she cut you off, both hands held up in front of her in a ‘Stop’ gesture, “still my cousin, still gross.”

“You’re my best friend, Tonks! If I can’t talk to you about this, who can I?” You sighed heavily. “Maybe I should stay away for a while. Tell ya what, I’ll wait with you for the pizza, then I’m gonna head home.”

She gestured to your empty hands and said, “Anything you need in the giant rucksack by the door that you don’t have with you?”

“Shit,” you hissed under your breath. “OK, new plan, I walk back with you, grab my bag and run like hell.”

“Excellent. Very courageous.”

“Ugh. Why are you making this so hard?”

“I’m sorry, is that a question or is that something Sirius said to you?” she asked with a mischievous grin, bumping into you with her shoulder.

“I see the ‘large child’ trait didn’t skip your generation,” you said sarcastically.

“Hey!! What are best mates for? To take the piss out of each other!” she happily answered her own question. “C’mon, let’s go get the pizza and then tell Sirius you fancy the pants off him so I can threaten him if he hurts you.”

* * *

You got to the pizza parlor and put in your order, got some soft drinks and sat at a table to wait for your order.

“You don’t think it’s just best if I put some space between us?” you continued the earlier conversation quietly after a few moments of silence. “But, wow, I really wanna fancy his pants right off him.”

“Ew.”

“But I mean if we’re both in the Order should we really be… fraternizing?”

“By ‘fraternizing,’ do you mean shagging like randy little nifflers?”

You sighed. “Yeah, probably. But it’s just lust. I barely know him.”

“Then get to know him. He’s actually great. And you two hit it off from the start. What’s the problem? I’m a little jealous, actually.”

“Of Sirius?”

“No, of Sirius liking you and just kissing you. Remus would never do that,” she said wistfully.

“Maybe you should kiss him.”

“What? No! You know Sirius wants you, there’s no risk for you.”

“Why wouldn’t Remus want you? You’re gorgeous and smart and funny and you can make your nose into a pig snout. What more could he possibly want?”

“It’s not necessarily what I lack that would keep him away.”

“Ah. His time of the month. It’s not well received in the US, either. Remus seems like a really nice man. It’s too bad the world is so narrow-minded.”

“He’s a good man, but he can’t see past his furry problem. And he assumes neither can anyone else.”

“Even though his friends went to such lengths for him?”

“He still never thought he was worthy.”

You both sat and pondered your man problems until your name was called to pick up your order and headed back to Grimmauld.

“I just realized that I only had toast for breakfast and no lunch. I am starving and I want to sit down here on the sidewalk and eat pizza straight from the box,” you whined, the scent assaulting your nose and causing your tummy to growl.

Tonks laughed. “It’s only a couple more blocks. I won’t leave without you, so you should be able to resist his charms if there’s an audience. Eat pizza with us.”

“You make a sound point. Also I’m going to perish from hunger.”

You were almost there and were actually happy to see the depressing facade of Sirius’ house ahead. Stomach growling loud enough for Tonks to hear now, she laughed as you picked up the pace and wound up racing her to the door. Giggling quietly like children, you slipped in the front door and down to the kitchen.

“You two took forever!” Sirius complained, taking the pizzas from you and dropping a peck on your lips like you had been kissing for years.

You looked at Tonks and she winked at you.

“Sorry, boss, it took as long as it took. I’m starving, we didn’t dawdle,” you snarked back.

“Starving, huh?” he said. “Can I help?”

“Ugh. Yes, quit being a pervert and give me some pizza. That would be super helpful.”

“Someone is grumpy when she’s hungry,” he hummed in a singsong voice.

“Feed me if you value your life,” you sang back.

Sirius laughed, but his eyes held affection as well as humor. He grabbed plates from the cupboard and handed them out, then grabbed your hand to pull you into the chair next to his. You allowed yourself to be pulled and Sirius kissed your temple before everyone dug in and started eating the greasy delicious pizza.

* * *

Sirius of course tried to persuade you to stay longer after the pizza, but you were genuinely tired from running steps and casting spells and torpid from eating too much pizza. He put his fingers on his lips to remind you of the crazy shrieking portrait and pulled you into the library for a moment of privacy as he kissed you goodnight.

His kiss took your breath away. He started with a gentle brush of his lips against yours and then slowly increased the pressure until you found yourself pressed against him with your hands in his hair and your tongues dueling.

“Merlin, but you’re a good kisser,” he whispered, a little short of breath.

“Me? I lose time when you kiss me. I honestly don’t know how we got this tangled up. I even took your hair out of its tail.”

“I need to work on holding my breath longer,” he said quietly with a wicked grin and a wiggle of his eyebrows. “No telling what I could accomplish if I didn’t need air so soon.”

“Naughty man,” you said, gently tugging his hair from where your hands were still wrapped around his neck.

“I wish I could walk you home.”

“I’ll be fine, Sirius.”

“I know, but then I could kiss you again at your door.”

“Just kiss me again here before I leave,” you said with a smile.

He did, and it was even better than the last, if possible.

He leaned back and smiled at your goofy expression, overwhelmed with affection for you. He was head over heels already and he had only been around you twice. And really, all he knew was that you liked his kisses. He had no idea if you returned the sentiment behind the kisses.

He needed more time with you. Like, right away.

“Come and see me tomorrow,” he whispered.

You opened your eyes and looked into his, seeing desire and affection and maybe a little pride at how much his kisses affected you.

“What time?” you found yourself asking.

“Whenever you want. Come early and spend the day. I just want to be with you.”

You smiled at his forthright admission and felt the warmth of his admiration. “I’ll bring pastries.”

Sirius smiled and said, “See you bright and early, then?”

“Is 9 bright and early?”

He leaned forward and kissed your neck just below your ear, “I was thinking more like 4 or 5.”

You moaned a little, causing him to catch his breath. “If I come back that early I might as well just stay here.”

“What a marvelous idea,” he growled against your throat.

You tipped your head to the side to give him better access. “You are very persuasive, sir.”

“I do my best.”

“We can hear you two out here, you know,” you heard Tonks complain in a loud whisper. “We will be here at 9, Sirius.”

“Bloody hell, you have a chaperone,” he bitched quietly.

“Someone has to protect my virtue from a scoundrel like you!”

“I’ll protect it,” he said as he leered at you comically.

“You two are actually making me ill,” Remus threw in, but he didn’t sound all that put out. He was happy that Sirius seemed to have found someone.

Sirius started loudly kissing your neck again which made you giggle until Tonks came in and grabbed him by the ear to make him stop.

“Ow ow ow!” he exclaimed as she gave it a good yank, then she grabbed your hand and pulled you along.

Sirius leaned in and said, “One more kiss,” against your lips before she successfully pulled you away and out the door to the sound of Remus’ quiet laughter and Sirius’ asking if his ear was bleeding.


	3. Chapter 3

“You have bewitched my cousin.”

“Serves him right. He bewitched me first.”

You had been grinning non-stop since you walked out the door. Other than the slight issue of him being a wanted fugitive, Sirius was everything you had ever wanted. And he liked you!

“You are completely nauseating, do you know that? If the guys at the office, who refer to you as the Cold Fish incidentally, could see you with Sirius, they would absolutely birth a troll.”

“OK, we’ll come back to the Cold Fish thing, but they would collectively birth one troll? Because that doesn’t sound that bad.”

“Merlin, you’re a smartass.”

“This is not news, my friend.”

“No, but you’re even more insufferable when you’re in love.”

“I’m not in love!” you exclaimed defensively.

Tonks just scoffed and made a gagging face.

“OK I might be a little in love. And we’re definitely going to name our first son after my dad.”

“What?” Tonks sputtered.

“Just kidding. I thought you were OK with this? Are you not OK with this?”

“I am, I promise. I just never really pictured myself as the stern governess type.”

“Maybe that’ll be Remus’ type, hmm?” you said with a wink.

“Shut it,” she replied good-naturedly.

* * *

You and Tonks we’re almost to Sirius’ house a little before 9 the next morning. She kept looking at you like you were a completely alien creature.

After a while you finally said, “Will you quit looking at me like you’re trying to decide if I’m an imposter? I’m not actually a cold fish, even if that’s apparently my nickname.”

“Oh I hadn’t considered that! Barty Crouch Jr. did pretend to be Moody last year. Tell me something only you and I would know!”

“You’re an idiot.”

“C’mon, everybody knows that!”

“If you doubt my identity I’ll just have to let Sirius lock me in his bedroom until we’re all sure that I’m not someone else using Polyjuice Potion to seduce your cousin.”

Tonks pretended to be touched. “You would make that sacrifice for me?” she said as she wiped away a fake tear.

“You are my very best friend. If necessary, I would let him tie me to his bed to prove myself to you,” you said sincerely, hand over your heart and solemn expression.

Tonks burst out laughing. “I’m telling him you said so!”

“No you won’t,” you laughed.

“And why won’t I?”

“Because he’d take his pants off, throw me over his shoulder and scamper up the steps giggling like a maniac the whole way. Do you really want to see Sirius naked? Coz I do. I think you should definitely tell him.”

“Ugh. Still my cousin.”

The door flew open before your hand reached the handle. Sirius pulled you inside and kissed you quickly. “Good morning.”

“I’ll just take this to the kitchen, then, shall I?” Tonks snarked as she walked past the two of you.

“Good morning, Sirius,” you whispered, kissing him gently.

“You look beautiful. I missed you,” he said dramatically.

You laughed and said, “It hasn’t even been twelve hours since I left.”

“Surely it’s been months,” he said in feigned shock.

“C’mon, Tonks is already disgusted with us. Best not make her hunt us down, she’ll choke me with a bear claw.”

Remus appeared to fetch you. “Please don’t make me go back and tell her you’re not on your way. She frightens me.”

“Good thing he didn’t say com–” Sirius started to say before you slapped a hand over his mouth.

“You really are a large child,” you said fondly, removing your hand from his mouth to kiss him. “Turns out I have a thing for silly, large man-children.”

“Better just be one large man-child, because I don’t share well at all,” he said, walking you backwards to the steps while kissing you, not stopping the contact until you reached the stairs.

* * *

You spent the day talking and laughing with Sirius. You had been sitting next to each other on the sofa in the library while Remus and Tonks sat across and watched you awkwardly for an hour or so when you suggested playing a game or something so they wouldn’t be so deathly bored while they babysat you.

“I’m not babysitting you!” Remus exclaimed. “I’m babysitting her so she doesn’t keep Casanova from romancing you.”

“Oi!” Tonks exclaimed. “Have you ever seen a man more in need of a child-minder? And this poor dunce,” she announced, pointing at you. “I swear, never seen the like. If I leave these two alone you’ll be a grandfather in nine months!”

Sirius shrugged. You looked scandalized. “Hey! I could be a grown-up. And y’know…use birth control.”

“Merlin,” Tonks said as she saw the delighted expression on Sirius’ face.

Remus started laughing at her disgust, Sirius’ happiness and your ornery grin.

“You have your hands full with this one, mate,” he said to Sirius with a laugh.

“I wish,” he muttered so only you could hear him. You laughed and he smirked, your laughter giving him butterflies.

* * *

There were a few games to choose from so after a lunch of sandwiches and crisps (not chips, Y/N!) you set up in the library and played for a while.

After a few hours and games, you looked at Tonks and said, “Should we be heading home, T?”

Sirius immediately exclaimed, “No! Stay for dinner!”

“Sirius, I have to do laundry and stuff for work this week,” you said with a smile, pleased that he wanted you to stay again.

“You need to buy more clothes so you can spend more time with me and less time doing laundry,” he said with a smirk, but understanding that you did have things to do away from him.

“You two are positively nauseating,” Tonks said with a sigh.

“Then go away so we don’t make you ill,” Sirius said. “Unless you want to watch me kiss the breath out of your best friend, that is?”

“Come along, Dora, you know he’s getting his kisses whether we’re here or not,” Remus coaxed.

When they left, Sirius pulled you over onto his lap. “I want you to stay.”

“Ah but if I leave you get to miss me.”

“What do I get if I miss you?” he asked, his hand on your cheek, slowly guiding your lips to his.

“The pleasure of seeing me again?” you breathed against his lips before he mesmerized you again.

“That will indeed be a great pleasure. Come see me tomorrow?” he asked after you parted, breathing heavily.

“Yes,” you whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

Sirius moaned into your mouth as you took the lead and stroked your tongue against his, capturing his groans and feeling powerful at reducing this beautiful man to heavy breathing and desire. You felt his cock stir under your hips, making you squirm and want more. You moaned loudly, prompting Tonks to hiss around the corner, “That sounds more like hello than goodbye, you two!”

You broke apart, both of you panting. Sirius’ eyes were lust-blown, and you imagined yours were as well.

“You sound like Andy, Dora,” Sirius called around the corner to annoy her.

Tonks gasped at being compared to her mother.

“See you tomorrow, Sirius,” you whispered, smiling at his ornery humor.

“I will be counting the minutes,” he whispered sincerely, caressing your cheek and running a thumb across your lower lip. You caught it between your teeth and flicked your tongue against it, pulling another groan from his lips. “Go before I throw you over my shoulder and run away with you.”

You gave him another quick kiss before you stood up. Sirius stood up and closed his eyes for a second, then pulled you close for one more kiss.

“I think I’ll always want one more kiss from you, Y/N,” he said quietly.

“Me, too, Sirius,” you whispered back.

“Until tomorrow?”

“I’ll come straight from work. Gonna feed me?” you asked with a grin.

“I’ll even cook,” he promised with a smile.

“You cook, too?” you asked, wiggling your eyebrows. “You’re quite a catch.”

Sirius laughed. “Yes, I’m a fugitive from the Ministry, an illegal Animagus, have a house filled with dark magic and a shrieking portrait that hates me. I am quite the catch, indeed.”

“And you’re smart, funny, sweet, gorgeous and a great kisser. And apparently you can cook and have excellent taste in women.”

“I do have extraordinary taste in a woman, Y/N.”

“Tonight sometime, Y/N!” Tonks whisper-yelled.

“Bye, Sirius,” you said, standing on tiptoes to give him another quick kiss before turning to go.

* * *

Remus came into the library after seeing the two of you out the door. “She’s quite something, isn’t she?”

“Dora? Yes, she is,” Sirius said with deliberate obtuseness.

“That goes without saying, but I was speaking of your Y/N,” Remus responded dryly. “Never seen you like this around a girl.”

“She’s incredible, Moony,” he admitted. “I wish I deserved her.”

“Of course you deserve her,” Remus said back. “Why would you say you don’t?”

“I’m not exactly husband material,” he said bitterly. “If I weren’t such a selfish bastard I’d leave her alone.”

“Seems like she doesn’t want you to leave her alone.”

“She should,” he said, going over to the decanter and pouring two drinks, then handing one to Remus before he drank his and refilling.

“Maybe you should let her decide what’s best for her?” Remus said wisely.

“Maybe you should start taking your own advice before you hand it out to others?” Sirius said, a bit snidely.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know Dora likes you, Moony. Don’t pretend you don’t. Even you aren’t that oblivious.”

Remus emptied his glass and said, “It’s different for me. You can be proven innocent. I can never be proven not a werewolf.”

“And she doesn’t care,” Sirius replied.

“Well, she should.”

“Seems we’re both in the same boat.”

Remus laughed bitterly. “Not really.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I know that she’s too good for me but I’m still going to accept that she seems to like me as much as I like her. And I am going to enjoy every minute I can with her, because she’s amazing and I am crazy about her.”

Remus was quiet. Sirius knew he wanted Dora, but he also knew that he would never do anything about it.

* * *

Once again on the way home, Tonks was looking at you like you had grown an additional head.

“Whaaaaat?” you finally asked.

“I’m just still having a hard time reckoning the two versions of you I know, now.”

“Me, too, actually.”

“Yeah?”

“Tonks, I know you don’t want to hear about it, but I have never responded to a man like this before. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s not love because I haven’t known him long enough, but it’s more than lust.”

“Well, that’s good, don’t you think?”

“What do you mean?” you asked, anxious for a point of view that made your infatuation less than insane.

“You aren’t saying it’s love at first sight, which is generally just lust and doesn’t last. You aren’t saying it’s just lust, which would mean all you want to do is get him into bed as soon as possible. So, it’s more than lust and less than love. Isn’t that where you should be?”

“I mean…I guess? I could fall hard for him, though, T.”

“So go ahead, he is.”

“How do you know? Let’s be honest, you don’t know him all that much better than I do.”

“Just trust me, all right?”

You laughed and bumped your shoulder into hers. “I guess it’s safer than trusting myself right now.”

She laughed and said, “When isn’t it? I’m a genius!”

* * *

You watched the clock all day the next day. You were fortunate that you didn’t get called away for an extermination, and you had lunch with Tonks as you did every day when neither of you were away from the office.

She laughed when she caught you checking the time. “You have it so bad, Y/N! If I wasn’t so jealous I’d be very amused.”

“We could always ‘accidentally’ lock you in a bedroom with Remus,” you suggested with a wink.

“He’d probably have me help him clean the cupboards or something,” Tonks said in a defeated tone.

“Time to put the goods on display?” you asked.

“Bit desperate, isn’t it?”

“He’d be damned lucky to have you!”

“Course he would.”

“We used to talk about things without penises. Let’s do that again,” you finally said, tired of analyzing your feelings for Sirius.

“Merlin, you have such a way with words. No wonder he’s mad about you.”

You laughed and sighed. Four more hours until you could see him again.

* * *

You arrived at Sirius’ house for dinner directly after work. Once again, he was waiting at the door for you, happily pulling you into hug. Tonks wove around you and went down to the kitchen to wait for you.

Sirius kissed you like he hadn’t seen you for a month, and you kissed him right back.

When you pulled away, you had one hand in his hair and the other around his waist, pulling him closer. He smiled and kissed your nose.

“I couldn’t wait to see you,” he whispered.

“I watched the clock all day. I’m fairly certain that the Ministry added hours somehow.”

Sirius kissed you again, neither of you questioning that you had seen each other yesterday. When you came up for air this time you were against the door, Sirius’ body pressing against yours.

“Maybe I should quit my job and just kiss you all day,” you said with a silly smile.

“You’re hired,” he said with another quick kiss. “We better go eat before my dinner is ruined.”

“Aw did my sweetie slave all day over a hot stove?”

Sirius smiled, both at your joke and at you calling him your sweetie. You tiptoed past the shrew and went down the steps, where he answered, “I did! I made a lovely dinner and a raspberry tart for pudding.”

“And you still had time to get all prettied up for me?” you asked with a wink.

“Well, I’m naturally pretty, after all.”

“Don’t let him fool you, Y/N,” Remus said as he appeared in the doorway. “He spent at least an hour picking his outfit. And then his hair wouldn’t lay right. It sounded just like the good old days at Hogwarts. Hello, Dora.”

Sirius cheeks heated up a bit when you looked at him, so you kissed him on his chin and said, “Except for your hair it was all worth it.”

“Not my hair?” he asked with a satisfied smile. “Why is that, darling?”

“I messed it up before I really saw it,” you answered with a wink.

“A worthy sacrifice, then.”

* * *

You ate a delightful dinner and helped Sirius clean up. Tonks and Remus were actually on duty for the Order that night so you and Sirius were on your own for the first time since you had exterminated his pests.

It was a bit awkward at first, but your natural rapport came through and you stopped worrying about behaving and just enjoyed talking to each other, holding hands and laughing as you shared stories. Sirius told you a little about his family, but you didn’t press him. There would be time for that later.

You went home later than usual. Sirius probably could have talked you into staying. You probably could have invited yourself to a sleepover. But you were both pretty happy with how things were going and didn’t want to rush.

“Come see me tomorrow?” he whispered at the door.

“Yes,” you said with a smile. “One more kiss?”

“I’ll always want one more kiss with you.”


	4. Chapter 4

The next night you went straight to Grimmauld after work again and passed a member of the Order who you had seen at the meeting you had attended. There wasn’t one for another couple days so you shared a look with Tonks as he brushed by you rudely on the steps in front.

You went in and Sirius was nowhere to be seen. You went to the kitchen and found Remus stomping around.

“What was Snape doing here?” Tonks asked him.

“Stirring up trouble with Sirius, mostly,” he answered ruefully.

“Is he OK? Where is he?” you asked.

“Probably up with Buckbeak.”

You turned and left the kitchen, tiptoeing through the hall and up the stairs to Buckbeak’s room.

* * *

“As if I don’t know how useless I am, bloody Snivellus has to come and rub my bloody nose in it. How is he even in the Order? I will never understand what Dumbledore sees in him.”

“Sirius?” you said quietly.

He turned away from Buckbeak quickly, embarrassed to have been caught talking to the Hippogriff. He cleared his throat and said, “Hello, Y/N. I didn’t realize you were here.”

“Should I go?”

“No, of course not. Do you want to go?”

“No,” you said, walking over to him. “Hello, Buckbeak, are you well?”

Buckbeak nodded once.

You looked at Sirius. He was very tense, every muscle in his body seemed to be rigid with anger. You weren’t sure what to do, so you stepped closer to him and wrapped your arms around his waist and just held him. His arms came around you at once and you felt the tension drain from his body, as if your touch had healing properties.

“I’m sorry, darling,” he whispered into your hair.

“For what? Being human?”

“Letting that bloody prick get to me.”

“That’s just silly. You shouldn’t apologize for having emotions,” you said, giving him a squeeze. “Know why you should apologize?”

“Why should I apologize?” he asked, and you could hear the smile in his voice.

“I have been here for hours and you haven’t kissed me,” you said, looking up at him with a full bottom-lip-extended pout.

“Hours, hmm?” he said with a smile before he leaned down and gently caught your pouting lip between his teeth and nipped it. “How could I be so rude?”

“I don’t know. It’s like you didn’t miss me at all today?”

“I missed you,” he said with a nod.

“Yet I stand here unkissed.”

“I’m not good enough for you,” he whispered out of the blue.

You pushed away from him and stepped back so you didn’t have to crane your neck. “Excuse me?”

“You deserve better.”

You crossed your arms across your chest combatively. “And if I disagree?”

He mirrored your pose unconsciously. “I will be eternally grateful, I suppose.”

You smiled. “I disagree, Sirius. Your circumstances don’t define your worth as a person. I believe you’re innocent. I think you’re wonderful. I want you to kiss me. Lots.”

Sirius smiled a bit self-consciously. “Lots?”

“Oodles.”

“How much is an oodle?” he asked in a teasing voice as he stepped over in front of you.

“You will never know if you don’t get over here and mmmf-” you said as he pulled you into his arms and kissed you, passion and longing and gratitude expressed more clearly than words could tell.

“Stars, Sirius,” you whispered.

“I know,” he murmured.

You let out a wrecked sigh.

“We should go downstairs before your bodyguard comes looking for you,” Sirius said with a smile.

You nodded and said, “Goodbye, Buckbeak.”

* * *

You made your way to the library hand-in-hand, finding Tonks and Remus chatting happily. Sirius tutted and said, “I could have sneaked one more kiss, she didn’t even notice you were gone.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me, Sonny Jim. I noticed.”

You pulled Sirius down onto the sofa next to you. He was still in a bit of a mood so you were holding his hand and making little circles on the back of it with your other hand.

“Shall we play a game?” Remus suggested.

“We should play Poker!” you suggested.

Sirius perked up. “Strip?”

“I’d try and explain it away by saying he spent a dozen years in prison, but honestly he was always this way,” Remus dragged Sirius.

You looked over at Sirius as if considering him. It really hadn’t occurred to you, but looking at him, you couldn’t imagine that he wasn’t quite the popular ladies man.

Was he just pursuing you because you were…near? Available? All of a sudden, you were a lot less secure. After all, like Remus had said: Sirius had just spent twelve years in prison. Pretty much any female would do. One who threw herself at him repeatedly would probably be very convenient, indeed.

“It’s about time for dinner, isn’t it?” you asked. “Should we be off, T?”

“No! Please, stay,” Sirius interjected. “Chinese? Curry? What sounds good?”

“Oh Indian sounds good, yeah Y/N?”

“Sure. Always.”

* * *

You and Tonks we’re once again the errand girls. Remus and Sirius told you what they wanted and you set off to walk to the restaurant and put in the order, grabbing a couple Lassis to drink while you waited.

“Alright, out with it.”

“Hmm?” you attempted innocence.

“What’s eating you? You went from uptempo to dirge in no time flat. What’s bothering you?”

“It’s nothing. Just hungry. Good Lassi, huh?”

“Merlin, Y/N, you act like we just met. And incidentally, you did just meet Sirius and he also noticed. So what’s wrong?”

“He noticed?”

“He did. He shot me the eyes of question, to which I replied with the shoulders of I don’t know.”

“Well, I’d hate to come between family, so you two can just keep twitching at each other.” You stood to leave, embarrassed.

“Hey,” Tonks said, laying a hand on your arm. “Best mate here? Whatever you say, it stays with me. Sirius isn’t more important to me than you.”

You deflated and sat back down, eyes on the tabletop. “I’m sorry, T. Remus just pointed out something and it just…”

“What, Y/N?” she asked softly.

“Remus said he’d been in prison, which I knew of course. But then he said basically that he used to chase tail, and it occurred to me…that I’m not special. I’m available,” you whispered. “So I’m stupidly falling ass over apple cart for him and I’m just…here. Throwing myself at him.”

Tonks reached across the table and grabbed your hand, squeezing it reassuringly. “Listen to me, Y/N. You listening?”

You grabbed a napkin from the dispenser on the table and dabbed at your eyes a bit. “Yeah, I’m listening.”

“Sirius has been completely different since he met you. This is not him chasing tail. Remus even says so. Sirius is what did you say? Ass over apple cart? Sirius is ass over apple cart for you.”

“You sure?”

“As sure as I can be without being in his head.”

* * *

Sirius jumped up when you got back with several bags of fragrant takeaway. You had ordered a few different entrees and set it out to eat family style at the table. You sat down next to Sirius and he took your hand gently and looked you in the eye, silently asking if you were alright.

You smiled and squeezed his hand a bit and he smiled back, sighing a bit. He pulled you close for a half hug and kissed the crown of your head, then began passing containers around for people to fill plates.

You went up a flight of steps after dinner to the library and dropped down on the settee, then Sirius dropped down next to you. Well, practically on top of you.

“One more bite and you’d be rolling me home, Tonks.”

“Then who would roll me?” she said with a laugh.

“I bet we could find somewhere for you two to stay here,” he said, giving you a smolder.

Why did it work? You knew what he was doing and yet you fell for it, hook, line and sinker.

“I’m off the clock. Not checking your bedroom for monsters,” you said with a smile.

“You sure?” he said in a low voice so only you could hear. “I’ll compensate you all night long.”

You tried to suppress the shiver of desire that his words and voice gave you, but when you glanced at Tonks you knew she saw.

“Well,” she said, hopping to her feet, “we had best be on our way, Y/N.”

“Already?” Sirius said. “We could play another game or something?”

Remus stood and said, “Dora, could you come and look at this ah thing I need looked at?”

“What?”

“Just c’mere,” he said, wingman skills obviously rusty.

When they left the room, Sirius said, “What’s the rush to get away?”

“I’ve been here every day. I’m sure you’re tired of my face,” you joked.

Sirius gently tucked a lock of your hair behind your ear. “I could look at this face forever.”

“Oh, boy,” you whispered. “You are scary, Sirius Black. If I thought you meant half of what you say I’d be in a lot of trouble.”

“I mean everything I say, so if that’s troublesome, I am not sorry at all. I want you, Y/N.”

That woke you up. You pulled back and stood up. “I have to get going.”

Sirius wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong, but he definitely had. “What happened? What did I say?”

Your smile was brittle. “Sorry, I just need more than ‘want.’ So I’m gonna get going. See you at the next meeting!”

You darted out the door and down the steps, quickly but quietly, grabbed your bag and went out the door.

“Y/N! Wait up!” you heard Tonks call from behind you.

You slowed down your rapid pace so she could catch up.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. Just needed some air.”

“Well now that’s clearly a crock of shite. Remus is back there trying to stop Sirius from chasing you down, so obviously something happened.”

“Shit shit shit.” You turned around and walked back in the direction of the house, striding directly up the steps and opening the door only to find Remus struggling with Sirius in a headlock and a painting shrieking vile epithets randomly.

“Whoa,” you said, overwhelmed. Then you put two fingers in your mouth and whistled in a fashion that never failed to infuriate your extremely proper mother.

Sirius and Remus stilled, Sirius’ head still comically in the crook of Remus’ arm and his hands were wrapped around Remus’ calf as if trying to trip him up.

“So, it seems like my hasty departure was a problem?”

Remus let go of Sirius and went to deal with the hateful portrait while Sirius held out his hand, beseeching you with his eyes to follow him.

You took his hand, feeling the almost electric connection with him. He led you back to the library where you were before you’d bolted and gestured for you to sit.

He paced back and forth a few times, then said, “I think you didn’t care for it when I said I wanted you. And it was thoughtless of me. It made me sound like I just want to get a leg over. That could not be farther from the truth. I really like you. I think you’re beautiful, but I also think you’re smart and funny and sassy and all of those things add up to feelings too strong for me to have after the amount of time we’ve spent together.”

“Oh.”

His eyes meet yours and he repeated, “Oh?”

“Me, too,” you whispered. “I dated a guy for three years and have stronger feelings for you already.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“May I sit?”

“Of course,” you said.

He sat down next to you, taking your hand in his gently. “I would never pressure you for sex. I was alone with only my worst memories for twelve years, and then alone as a fugitive. And this house is my second least favorite place in the world. Then I found a veritable ray of sunshine in you, and I want to just clutch your warmth to me. But I didn’t think how someone who isn’t used to my idiosyncrasies, if you will, would handle my behavior.”

“I flirted right back, Sirius. But it’s so completely out of character for me that it was actually as scary as your behavior.”

“It’s probably my irresistible good looks and charm,” he deadpanned with a slight, crooked smile.

You smiled. “Probably.”

“So you behave differently around me?”

“Tonks is amazed and disgusted,” you confirmed. “She said she’d never seen me flirt before and it was weird. Apparently they call me the Cold Fish at work.”

“I was actually pretty surprised that you were attracted to me.”

“Are you kidding? You’re absolutely the most handsome, sexiest man I’ve ever seen.”

“The feeling is mutual, darling. But I do have a few rather obvious drawbacks.”

“I dunno. I always know where to find you…” you teased. “If we get bored we can play fetch.”

“I really want to hug you.”

You scooted over next to him, wrapped your arms around him and dropped your head on his shoulder as he pulled you close. “I suppose we should go stop Remus from blocking Tonks from the room. She’ll kick his ass all the way around the block.”

“He could use a good arse kicking,” Sirius returned. “I wanna hug my girl for a bit longer.”

“Your girl, hmm?” you said skeptically.

Sirius chuckled and rubbed your back a bit. “Well, I must admit my dating skills were interrupted when I was not yet 21, but I hope that when a man really likes a woman they still declare themselves to be a couple?”

You lifted your head from his shoulder and looked into his stormy grey eyes. “So soon?”

He shrugged. “I know what I want, and I don’t want any more confusion between us. I like you. A lot. You really are everything I want in a woman. Why wait? I’ve done all the waiting I ever want to do in Azkaban.”

“Oh, sweetheart. I really hate to think of you there,” you said into his neck as you threw your legs across his lap and snuggled closer to him. “I want to give you all the cuddles you missed.”

“While I will accept any and all cuddles from you, I don’t want them to be pity cuddles,” he whispered.

You leaned back flicked the end of his nose. “I don’t do pity cuddles, honey.” You tried to pull away.

“Ow!” he exclaimed, rubbing his stinging nose with one hand and holding on to you with his other. “I guess you don’t do pity cuddles, huh?”

“Nope. Or pity fucks.”

“Bit of a temper, love?” he asked around a smile.

You bit your lip. “Ha. Yeah, sorry,” you conceded, a bit embarrassed. “You’re throwing me off balance.”

“Sorry,” he whispered, dropping a kiss to your forehead. “Come see me tomorrow?”

You caressed his cheek, and he leaned into it and closed his eyes like it was the most exquisite feeling in the world. You leaned forward and brushed your lips against his, his quickly drawn breath and slight moan like music. “Yes, I will come see you tomorrow.”

“Or you could just stay. Not for sex. Just…stay.”

“Sirius, your intentions might be good, but my resistance is weak. We’d wind up having sex.”

“Would that be so terrible?” he asked quietly, his pupils dilated with lust at the idea of you in his bed.

“No, I have a feeling it would be amazing. But I haven’t been with anyone in a long time, and I need it to be special.”

“I haven’t been with anyone in fourteen years,” he revealed against your lips as he kissed you again, oh so gently. “You’ll be my first.”

“So sure of yourself,” you teased.

“Am I wrong?”

“No,” you whispered, “you’re probably not.”

“Stay a while longer.”

“OK but go rescue Remus.”

“Alright. By the way, I could not be happier that your coworkers have had no luck with you,” he said with a wink as he left the room.

* * *

Tonks burst into the room followed closely by Sirius and Remus. She looked like she was prepared for a fight, and you sitting there comfortably was obviously not what she was expecting.

You patted the cushion next to you. “Come sit next to me.”

She sat down next to you and you turned sideways to face her.

“Alright,” she said suspiciously. “What’s going on? You were running away like your arse was on fire, I tell you Sirius is trying to follow and you run back? Merlin, Y/N, what’s going on?”

Sirius came and sat next to you on your other side, dropping an arm around your waist and you leaned into him, completely unconsciously and naturally.

“I didn’t want him to risk following me so I came back.”

“And what is all this?” she said, gesturing around with her index finger to indicate your cuddle situation.

You looked down and noticed his arm around you for the first time and realized you were basically laying against him. You grabbed his hand and linked yours with it, making her eyebrows raise even more.

“Ah it seems that Sirius returns my feelings but we were both afraid to admit it coz it’s really weird and fast.”

“That is weird and fast. But I guess you’re both weird. As long as fast doesn’t hurt either of you.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m hopping into bed or moving in,” you reassured her.

“Look, I think this is great. I love you both. Just make sure that it’s right, because I don’t want either of you to get hurt,” she reiterated.

“I don’t want Y/N to get hurt or hurt me. And I understand how fortunate I am that a wonderful woman like this even looked at me twice. I know I can be impulsive, but I usually regret it afterwards. I don’t regret telling her how I feel. This is right, and I hope it’s permanent,” he said as he hugged you closer for a moment.

You turned your head and pecked his nose. “Like he said, it’s just right. I can’t really explain it but I felt something different for him from the first time I saw him.”

Tonks sighed, but then she smiled brightly. “Well then, congratulations! Remus, come with me to a shop to get champagne?”

“Certainly. Lovely night for a walk.”

* * *

When Remus and Tonks left, you leaned back across Sirius’ lap and pulled him down for a kiss. It turned carnal in a hurry, your hands tangled in his hair and one of his on your ribcage, occasionally twitching in an obvious protest against Sirius not sliding it up your torso.

You sat up and turned around to straddle his lap, resuming the kiss and grinding against him as he groaned into your mouth.

“Love,” he gasped. “I’m either going to embarrass myself or die if you keep doing that.”

You stared at him with glazed eyes and swollen lips, almost as if you didn’t understand what he was saying. “Oh! I’m sorry,” you said as you scooted off his lap. “Let’s talk about…um…something not sexy.”

“Either that or shag like monkeys, yeah,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows and licking his lips lewdly, making you giggle.

“I don’t think we have enough time,” you said, shaking your head ruefully.

Sirius barked a laugh and leaned his head against the back of the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. “If time is what you need, love, I’ll carry you up to my room and lock Remus and Dora out for a month.”

“Think that’s enough time for all I want to do to you?”

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he moaned pitifully.

“I was an Auror in America,” you said suddenly.

Sirius seemed to take a moment to process that information, then turned his head to look at you and asked, “Why aren’t you one here? Why did you come here at all? And why are you executing pests?”

You smiled. “I wanted to go into the Agency for the Regulation of Magical Creatures, but my mother wanted me to have a more prestigious job. My brother is already moving through the ranks, my sister is married to a wizard from a good family with a good job and popping out adorable babies for my mother to hold when there’s someone to see.”

“You didn’t fit in?” he asked, understanding completely. “I never did, either.”

You patted your legs and he turned to lay with his head in your lap. You threaded your fingers through his black hair, smiling at his content expression. “I did not fit in. My father passed away when I was nine, but I spent a lot of time with him. He was a scholar, and he encouraged my desire to learn. I wanted to know everything, not just what would help me get a respectable job.

“My mother didn’t see things the same way, so after Dad died, she guided me into being an Auror. Well…more like pushed. I was ‘allowed’ to take Care of Magical Creatures classes, but if my grades in my ‘important’ classes slipped, it was gone.”

“My parents had nothing but disgust for me as soon as I started at Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor. My whole family hated me.”

You leaned forward and kissed him. “I don’t.”

“Good to know,” he said with a smirk.

“So I graduated from Ilvermorny, was accepted to the Auror training program at MACUSA and then worked as one for four years. And I was miserable.”

“You can only pretend to be someone you’re not for so long before you start to lose yourself,” he whispered, reaching up to caress your cheek.

You nodded against his hand. “I started to lose myself. And I felt like I needed permission to be myself. So I did the grown up thing and ran away from home.”

Sirius laughed. “I’m just happy you ran to me.”

You got a thoughtful look on your face, as if you were trying to remember something. “Y’know what? I decided to come here right after you escaped. How weird is that?”

“Just means that we are fated to be together, darling,” he stated matter-of-factly, then sat up abruptly and looked at you. “Wait, I’m not just a rebellion against your mum, am I?”

You bit your lip so you wouldn’t laugh because he looked so worried. “No, Sirius, it would never occur to me to use you to rebel against my mother, but now that you mention it, that is kind of a bonus.”

He narrowed his eyes at you. “You sure?”

You frowned. “I’m absolutely positive. Parading you in front of people except to show off how handsome you are never crossed my mind. Because there’s nothing you’ve ever done to be ashamed of that would make falling head over heels for you a rebellion. I will be proud to show you to the world when I can.” Then you got embarrassed. “I mean, if you want…still–”

“Shhhh,” he shushed as he pulled you close again. “Silly moment of doubt. Doubting myself, incidentally.”

“Why would you ever doubt yourself? You’re so smart and funny and wonderful, Sirius!”

“I did rather spend a dozen years in prison.”

“For crimes you didn’t commit!” you defended him hotly.

“Still, few people believe that.”

You pulled him closer, as if you could erase the pain he suffered. “You have me now. I believe in you.”

Sirius was overcome with emotion. “Thank you, love. I haven’t had anyone believe in me for a long time.”

You kissed him, gently and sweetly.

You heard thumping in the hallway as if someone was walking more loudly than strictly necessary. Sirius smiled and called, “We’re clothed, Remus.”

Remus’ sheepish face appeared in the doorway, Tonks behind him carrying wine glasses. “After the show you two put on I told Remus to make some noise. He’s at an impressionable age, can’t have him seeing anything too naughty,” Tonks joked.

“Oh ha ha, Nymphadora,” Remus snarked back with a smile.

“Oh, no! Those are fightin’ words, Remus. Look out now!” you said as you watched Tonks hair flash bright red for a moment.

Sirius hopped off the sofa to pop the cork on a bottle and Tonks held out glasses, shooting the occasional evil eye at Remus.

You stood up to mosey over next to Remus.

“What was that all about?” you asked quietly.

“Nothing,” he replied shortly.

“Right.”

He looked over at you. “You’re a bad influence.”

“What? How so?”

“You and Sirius falling in love and being all happy. Not everyone gets that.”

“Don’t you think Sirius deserves some happiness?” you said sharply.

Remus sighed and looked down. “Of course he does. Just…so does Dora.”

“Ah.”

“Ah, what?”

“It’s nice that you want T to be happy. She’s my best friend. I want her to be happy, too.”

“Of course you do.”

“The thing is, it’s not up to me to decide what makes her happy. She’s the only one who can decide who or what does.”

Remus eyes shot up to meet yours, then looked over at Tonks and Sirius fussing over the spilled champagne.

“What are we toasting?” you asked.

“Happiness,” Sirius said with a smile.

You smiled back. “To happiness,” and then Remus and Tonks echoed you while Sirius stared into your eyes with a goofy grin. You clinked glasses and sipped your wine, then Sirius kissed you quickly, an arm around your shoulders as if he couldn’t bear not to be touching you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Smut Ahoy!**

* * *

You and Tonks went home a bit later, much to Sirius’ dismay. He would probably be content for you to move in. When he wanted something he went all in.

The next week or so continued with you working in pest control during the day and spending evenings with Sirius, or with Sirius and Remus and Tonks. Sirius was greedy with your time; he wanted you all to himself. When you were alone, remarkably you weren’t constantly snogging. Oh, there was snogging, but not constantly.

You talked a lot, and learned each other. Sirius wanted to know everything there was to know about you, and you wanted that of him. You were always talking and laughing together.

Then the Weasleys came to stay, and you noticed Sirius becoming anxious because Harry wasn’t with him. He hated being locked up in the house when his godson was in danger, and at times he would lose his temper.

Remus simply rolled his eyes when Sirius started ranting, and usually left the room because you were better at calming him down now since Sirius actually worried about hurting your feelings. Remus was not too proud to use the newness of your relationship to skip out on Sirius’ tantrums.

Dumbledore visited occasionally and you got to know him a bit, but you didn’t care for the way he manipulated Sirius and Remus. Once you found out that Sirius had languished in prison for twelve years without even a trial, let alone a guilty verdict, you were infuriated that Dumbledore had never seen to it that Sirius was given a chance to defend himself.

You and Sirius finally agreed to disagree on the topic of Dumbledore, but secretly he was warmed by your protectiveness. He hadn’t felt the like since James’ parents had taken him in and made him a part of their family. Now he felt like he might have another chance at a family with you and Harry.

* * *

Someone you agreed with him completely about was Severus Snape. You had only seen him at meetings and once in passing, but he somehow managed to either insult Sirius or accuse him of cowardice because he was trapped in the house each time you saw him.

The first meeting had been a bit overwhelming and so you hadn’t noticed if he had done so, but since then you certainly noticed his little digs as well as their effect on Sirius. He instantly tensed and you could feel the hatred coming off him in waves. You took his hand and squeezed it until he looked at you, then you gave him a quick kiss, right there in the meeting. He seemed surprised, yet pleased and he was able to calm down.

The next meeting, when Sirius asked a question about whether some outlying villages that had been targeted in the past had been checked, Snape said in his most snide voice, “Perhaps if you didn’t spend your time lazing about here, we wouldn’t be spread so thin, Black.”

You felt Sirius tense and piped in, “Yeah, Sirius! Give him a break!” He looked at you with shock and betrayal. “This poor man is obviously so busy that he doesn’t even have time to take a shower and wash his hair!”

Sirius’ eyes widened with amazement, then he lost it when Remus chuckled in surprise. Sirius barked his wonderful laugh and hugged you to his side, realizing that no matter how many times Snape loosed his vitriol on him, he would never have what Sirius had in you.

Judging from the the chorus of coughs and covered mouths, as well as the malevolent gleam in your victim’s eyes, your snipe to Snape hit home. Dumbledore called an end to the meeting, hoping to keep the carnage to a minimum.

Sirius dragged you to the library and closed the door, pressing you against it and kissing you like you were the most amazing woman in the world. You were overwhelmed with the sensations of his mouth and hands and body, wrapping your arms around his neck and holding on for dear life.

When his mouth moved down to your neck and you caught your breath, you finally noticed tapping at the door.

“Y/N!” you heard Tonks whisper-yelled through the door. “Open up!”

You giggled and pushed Sirius away from your neck with a fingertip on his forehead. He looked dazed for a second and tried to press his lips to yours again before he noticed you were giggling and Tonks was knocking.

“She’s taking this chaperone thing a bit too seriously,” he groaned.

You kissed him quickly and asked, “Can I let her in or do you need a moment to ummm adjust?”

He rubbed his groin against your stomach and you both groaned. “I need a moment.”

“Now so do I,” you whispered, before taking a deep breath and exhaling. “I’ll go distract her.”

He nodded, eyes smoldering with promise.

* * *

Sirius spent his days cleaning with the Weasleys, disposing of dark artifacts so the children didn’t get hurt. You helped when you came over after work if there were any new pests.

Finding a place to be alone in the evenings after chores was a bit of a challenge now that the house was full of kids. Sirius enjoyed the distraction and you spent several evenings laughing and playing games with them.

You got along well with the kids, too. Crookshanks took a liking to you, and Pig liked to fly circles around your head when he saw you. You told the kids about the menagerie you’d had when you were young, from dogs and cats to puffskeins and even a baby raccoon that you had found when his mother had been killed. You and your Dad had saved him and raised him and he was the sweetest little guy. Your father had laughed when you named him Sunshine because whenever he found a patch of sunlight he immediately curled up and took a snooze.

Most nights you made time to cuddle alone in Sirius’ room, talking and not talking as the mood came and went. Your silences were as loving and comfortable as your conversations. You honestly couldn’t believe that you had ever had a life that didn’t include Sirius. It was like you had been in a holding pattern, waiting to really live until the two of you met.

Meeting nights were getting tense, however. You felt like you were ready to start helping the Order, but Sirius threw reason after reason why you shouldn’t at you. Bottom line, though, was that he was scared and didn’t want to risk you getting hurt, especially when he couldn’t be there with you.

So you compromised and only went out with a few members he trusted: Remus, Moody and Shacklebolt. You agreed for the time being, but knew it would be another battle when the time came to have another partner. You hoped that he would accept it. Because he had to.

The time came that you were needed on a mission without any of your Sirius-approved partners. You felt Sirius tense next to you when the assignment was announced and you were paired with someone he didn’t know. You took his hand and squeezed, hoping he would at least have the decency to wait until after the meeting to rant.

* * *

After everyone left, you followed Sirius to his bedroom, his anger practically radiating from him.

When you entered his bedroom, you were prepared for some pushback, but when he turned around, he wore an utterly enraged expression and thundered, “I FORBID IT!!”

Your eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?” you said quietly.

Sirius’ fists were balled at his side, his body ramrod straight. “I said,” he bit out angrily between clenched teeth, “I forbid it.”

“And what,” you bit out just as angrily, “pray tell, gives you the right to forbid me to do anything?”

“Because I want you to be safe!”

“Oh, I can’t keep myself safe?”

“This isn’t about your abilities, Y/N!”

“Then what is it about?” you yelled. “I was an Auror in America for four years and survived quite well, thank you very much! What exactly do you think I lack in skills that I can’t handle here? Hmm?”

Sirius threw his arms in the air. “Oh of course, turn this into me being an overprotective asshole!”

“Well if that isn’t what this is, please enlighten me! Because from over here, it looks a lot like you think I am not qualified for this and need some big strong man of your choosing to hold my hand!”

“Do you think I like watching you go out and risk your life while I sit here and wait to see if you survive?”

“No, but I don’t see you losing your shit when anyone else goes out on an assignment!’

“THAT’S BECAUSE I’M NOT BLOODY IN LOVE WITH ANY OF THEM, YOU SIMPLETON!”

“WELL I LOVE YOU TOO, BUT I AM NOT GOING TO LET YOU RUN MY LIFE OR DICTATE WHAT I CAN AND CAN’T DO, SIRIUS!”

With that, you stormed out of his room and disapparated home.

* * *

It took you about twenty minutes of pacing and grumbling before you realized that you and Sirius had just said – well, screamed – that you loved each other. You stopped, awed. Sirius loved you. You loved Sirius. He was being protective because he loved you and had lost almost everyone he ever loved.

You apparated back to an alley not far from Sirius’ house and then walked back to the front door and let yourself in. Remus appeared and saw it was you and breathed a sigh of relief. “I just spent the last twenty minutes keeping him here. I’m glad you don’t stay mad long.”

You hugged Remus. “Thank you for keeping him here. I’ll go settle him down.”

“He’s in with Buckbeak.”

“Oh, dear. That bad?”

“Worse.”

You went quietly up the steps, not wanting to frighten Buckbeak. Sirius visited Buckbeak often, but when he was very upset he always went in to see him. You heard Sirius’ voice coming down the hall.

“Why would she want me? She’s beautiful and perfect and I’m a colossal jackass. I mean, I can’t even follow her when we row!

“I love her so much, Beaky. She’s like the sun in my dank world.”

Buckbeak made a small sound that almost sounded comforting.

“And what do I do? Do I tell her in a sweet, romantic way that I love her? No, I scream it at the top of my lungs.

“I just want to marry her and make a home with her and Harry. With a room for Remus. He’s family too.”

Buckbeak made another sound.

“Of course with you, too, mate! A place in the country. Maybe near Hogwarts so she can teach. And maybe have a couple little ones if she’s up for it. She’d be a great mum.”

“Think so? I think my temper might be too short.”

Sirius jumped, then jumped to his feet and rushed over to you and folded you in his arms. “I’m so sorry, love. I’m so sorry.”

You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him. “Shhh so am I. I can’t keep running away from you like that, I’m sorry.”

Sirius leaned away and kissed you gently, then said, “I love you, Y/N.”

“That is absolutely the first time I have ever heard you say those words!” you joked. “I love you, too, Sirius Black. I can’t wait til we have a home and family together.”

You pulled apart and held hands as you headed to the door. “Thank you for taking care of my boy, Buckbeak. You’re a good friend. And you will always have a home and be part of our family.”

He bowed his head regally.

* * *

If Remus and Tonks were nauseated and jealous before, your confessions of love were more than they could take. Tonks officially took herself off of chaperone duty and Remus just took himself off. He was disappearing for days at a time on what you suspected were missions for the Order.

You tried to be there for Tonks, knowing that she had only fallen harder for Remus by spending all this time here playing chaperone. But what you had with Sirius was new and you were at the “Can’t Bear to be Apart” stage. If before you had been inseparable, now you were joined at the hip.

As Harry’s birthday approached and passed, Sirius became even more touchy and cranky. You knew he wanted his boy with him, so did you. He was such a loving, protective man. He wanted to take care of everyone and was hobbled by his fugitive status.

You suspected that his frustration was not only because of Harry, however.

* * *

It was the first week of August and you were snuggled in Sirius’ arms, a cooling spell keeping the temperature comfortable. You and Sirius had been discussing your day at work, plans for attacking the next area of the house that needed to be cleared and other mundane topics.

There was another topic you had been trying to figure out how to broach with him, though. He was true to his word and never pressured you for sex, which apparently in his mind meant stopping just when it started getting good.

You were so freaking horny.

You wanted him. But you had never had to be the one to initiate sex before. You were pretty sure he’d be on board, but you were still insecure about being the one to make the first move.

But tonight was it. If you had to look at his ass in jeans one more time without wrapping your legs around him you were fairly certain you were going to die. Death by horny. So undignified. Best to get your man into bed.

You kissed him and then stood up and stretched in front of him. “Well, I am ready for bed.”

Sirius hopped up and looked disappointed. “It’s early, love. Already?”

You took his hand and pulled him across his room to the side of his bed. “You think it’s too soon?” you asked as you ran your hands up his chest, pushing his shirt up in the process.

“Godric, no, I thought I was going to die,” he said, roughly kissing you while you worked to undress him.

“I decided that dying of horniness was too undignified of a death. I want to die of too much sex rather than not enough,” you said as Sirius laughed and ran his hands all over you, randomly pulling at your clothes without pulling back from kissing you.

“I have spent more time fantasizing about you than any other woman…ever.”

“Let’s just say that I’ve imagined your hands and mouth and,” you reached between you and squeezed his cock gently, “this monster so many times.”

“I think it’s safe to say that I wank now more than I did as a teenager,” he laughed.

You winked. “Me, too.”

He groaned, dragging the rest of your clothes from you and lifting you onto the bed, lying down next to you to kiss and admire your beauty.

Then he described in vivid detail all of the things he had been thinking of doing to you as he ran his fingertips lightly across your skin, driving you to distraction with his words yet not delivering on them.

“Sirius! Make love to me!” you demanded.

He proceeded to put his mouth to much better use. You ran your fingers through his hair as he kissed his way from your neck to your clavicle, then to the valley between your breasts, a hand on each, pressing the flesh against his face. When his lips closed around a nipple you came off the bed.

He made happy sounds as he kissed down your ribcage to your belly button, and then slid down to lie between your legs and admire your center. He kissed each thigh until he was almost there, then stopped to nibble on your inner thigh. When you’d finally had enough of his teasing, you pulled his hair to try and get this show on the road. “Please, love,” you moaned.

Perhaps it was the polite request, or perhaps it was the none too gentle tugging of his hair, but Sirius licked a stripe from bottom to the top of your needy center, dipping his tongue inside a bit to flick against your clit.

Your body shook in pleasure. “Sirius!”

“Mmmmm,” he said against your clit, the vibrations sending fireworks shooting through your body. “Yes, darling?”

“More! That!”

Sirius redoubled his efforts, adding a finger and then another to your inundation of pleasurable sensations.

After that your moans and his licking and sucking noises blended into a mélange of happy lovemaking sounds, capped off by your loud praise of his skills and proclamations of your love when he brought you to your first orgasm.

After he licked you sweetly back down to earth, he kissed his way back up your body, stopping off again to worship your breasts along the way. You pulled him up to kiss him and said, “Sirius, I love you so much.”

He pressed himself to you as you wrapped your legs around his waist, then kissed you deeply as he guided his cock into your warmth. You both groaned loudly when you were joined, kissing and whispering endearments to each other as Sirius began gently making love to you.

This tender exploration of each other, learning where to touch and how to move together, this coming together as one inflamed your senses until you both began to move more quickly, frantically chasing the exquisite pleasure that was almost within your reach.

“Sirius! Ohh stars, Sirius I’m gonna Ooooh!”

“Yes, darling, come for me, love.”

Sirius started losing his rhythm and his frenzied movements pushed you over the edge, your orgasm taking his last bit of restraint as he snapped his hips into you and came deep inside you, screaming your name as he climaxed so hard he saw stars.

You held him close as his heartbeat and breathing returned to normal, his head on your shoulder, his lips roaming lazily around your neck. You ran your hands over his sweaty back, ankles still locked around his waist to hold him close.

He raised his head to kiss you sweetly. Looking into your eyes, he whispered, “I love you so much, Y/N,” as if in awe.

You squeezed him tighter if possible. “That was the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I love you more than I ever thought I was capable of caring for someone.”

He kissed you again, then rolled to his back and pulled you against him.

“We are very sticky,” you said with a laugh.

“I am ridiculously happy and relaxed right now, love,” he purred, kissing the top of your head. “Sticky is fine for a bit.”

You kissed and nibbled his chest where you were cuddled up next to him, your leg tossed across his groin. Your fingers began twirling and playing in the treasure trail that had fascinated you so much. When you started following the line of hair you felt a stirring under your knee.

Sirius moaned and said, “Keep that up and you’ll wind up even stickier, love.”

You wound up stickier.

* * *

From then on you essentially lived there. You and Sirius slept together even when you didn’t make love, though that was infrequent. You had been drawn to each other from the moment your eyes had met and that had not changed. You somehow fell deeper in love with every day together.

You still had your apartment, though, so you went home to get clothes and things. Sirius had told you to bring more clothes at once so you didn’t have to go home as often, but he hadn’t broached the topic of you moving in and neither had you.

You suspected that he would eventually get to the topic, but right now he was barely able to contain himself because a plan had finally been put into place to get Harry here where he belonged. It had killed Sirius to be so distant to his boy when Harry was clearly confused at the remote tone of his letters from his godfather and his friends.

Because Dumbledore had said not to share anything that happened in the headquarters, and because frankly he could think of no other way to explain meeting you, Sirius had made no mention of you. So you were nervous about meeting the boy, worried that your presence would not be welcome.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Smut Ahoy!**

* * *

The day of the operation to bring Harry home, Sirius was beside himself. He wanted to be in the group that went to escort him, and he was not pleased about being denied. Remus looked to you to make him see sense, but this was more than his usual impulsive tangent.

You finally coerced him up to his bedroom and kept him busy until it was time for the group to leave. Needless to say, he was a great deal more relaxed when you went down to wish the group good luck. Remus and Tonks were somewhere between grateful for and incredibly uncomfortable with your efforts. You basically gave them a look that said, “Well, what did you expect?”

Sirius paced nervously until it was almost time for the meeting to begin, repeatedly asking, “Where could they possibly be?” and “What in Merlin’s saggy left nut is taking so long?”

When Dumbledore arrived, you dragged him into the kitchen, hoping that the meeting would distract him a bit. He did become involved in the discussion, though, so he calmed a bit until Remus et al returned and he knew Harry was there.

* * *

Sirius stayed in the kitchen with you when everyone was leaving after the meeting because he could tell that you were nervous about meeting Harry. As he was telling you that you were great and Harry would love you, there was a loud crash and his mother started screaming, which started a chain reaction with the other paintings.

Sirius jumped up and ran up the stairs, yelling at his hag of a mother to shut up. You had experienced this before, of course, numerous times since the first time when Remus and Sirius had been wrestling to keep Sirius from following you. You left Sirius to deal with the crone who birthed him while you went to calm down other portraits.

After he got the portrait covered, Sirius went to talk to Harry, then headed down to the kitchen. He introduced you to Harry, who didn’t seem at all impressed. You knew he was overwhelmed and decided to hang back for a day or two and let him settle in before you tried to get to know him.

* * *

In the meantime, you tried to curb Sirius’ temper with Molly. You didn’t interrupt when he and Molly disagreed on how much to tell Harry, but afterwards when you and Sirius went to bed, you had a small argument.

“Love, you need to go easier on Molly,” you began quietly.

“I think I know how to deal with Molly and my Godson, Y/N, thank you very much,” he snapped, temper still frayed.

“Take that tone with me again, Black, and you will be sleeping alone for the foreseeable future,” you snapped back, jabbing him in the chest with a finger. “I will not be spoken to that way, certainly not by the man who professes to love me.”

Sirius sat down on the small sofa in his room and leaned forward, head in hands. “I’m sorry, Y/N,” he said gruffly. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight.”

You came over and sat next to him, pulling him upright and tucking yourself into his side. “It’s this place and the situation and everything at once, love. Just…try to remember that everyone here has the same goals. And Molly loves Harry, sweetheart. You can’t cut her out just because you have more right to him. She took him under her wing when he didn’t have anyone else.”

He hugged you and pulled in a deep breath. “You’re right, love. I’ll apologize to her in the morning. And I’m so sorry I bit your head off.”

“I love you. You get a few free passes here and there,” you said with a kiss.

“Thank you very much. Can you think of any way I can show you my gratitude?” he asked in a naughty voice with a salacious grin.

“How about you do that one thing with your tongue?” you responded with an equally lusty grin and an eyebrow wiggle.

“My pleasure,” he purred.

* * *

Harry did not seem to be a fan of yours, to be honest. He wasn’t rude, precisely, and honestly you knew he had more important things on his mind, so you tried not to let it bother you. You hadn’t considered that Sirius essentially had a kid that you would need to be friends with when you got together.

It wasn’t like you had much one on one time with Harry – there were so many people in the house at any given time that you and Sirius could only be alone in his room, and that was even interrupted occasionally.

So you decided to take matters into your own hands. You noticed that Harry had missed lunch, so you made a platter of sandwiches and cookies and took them upstairs.

You were ridiculously nervous as you knocked on the door to his room where Hermione had said he was holed up.

“Hi, Harry,” you said after he called to come in. “Thought I’d bring us a bit of a snack.”

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.”

You pretended not to hear when his stomach growled loudly.

“Well I’m starving. Mind if I eat?”

“Suit yourself,” he said a little sullenly.

“So,” you said after you swallowed a bite of a sandwich. “We have a lot in common.”

“How so?” he asked, looking longingly at the plate of sandwiches you brought with you.

“We both love Sirius,” you said, casually handing him a sandwich. “And Sirius loves us both and wants us to be a family.”

“That’s it?” he said around his sandwich.

“Well, we’re both good looking and brilliant, too. I thought I’d leave the obvious unspoken.”

He laughed a little. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I just thought I’d have some time alone with Sirius.”

“You can have that. Now and forever. I can make myself scarce.”

“I just…I’ve never had a dad. So when I found out Sirius was my Godfather, I thought maybe I’d have something like that.” He left unspoken that when he finally has time to be with Sirius, you were always around.

“You do. He talks about you constantly. He loves you so much, and he worries about you all the time.”

“So how would it work?”

“Hmm?”

“Us being a family. For Sirius.”

“Well, when this is all over, which we all hope will be soon, Sirius will be free, you get to be a normal kid with friends and a bedroom with I dunno…whatever kids your age like. Boobs I’d imagine. That doesn’t seem to ever get outgrown.”

Harry rolled his eyes and blushed at the mention of boobs. “Are you and Sirius getting married?”

“We’re not engaged, of course, but the topic has come up and he didn’t curl into the fetal position, so I thought that was positive.

“He’d like a house in the country,” you continued, “most likely near Hogwarts with room for all of us, including you and Remus and Tonks and Buckbeak and whatever kids and menagerie we wind up with.”

“Mrs. Weasley thinks he forgets who I am sometimes,” he said quietly, as if uttering the words was somehow a betrayal to Sirius.

You went and sat next to him on his bed and put your arm around him. “You now look like your father the last time he saw him, and the first time he saw you was like when he first met and got to know the man he considered his brother. So yes, I would imagine that occasionally he sees your Dad when he looks at you.

“But this is something that happens. My brother and sister and I went to a family reunion for the first time in years on my father’s side of the family. When we arrived, almost everyone stopped and did a double take at my brother. You see, he was about the age my father was when he passed away, and he took very strongly after him. So, the combination of not seeing him grow into this face and this face being the spitting image of our Dad…well, needless to say, a couple of the elderly relatives called my brother by my Dad’s name. Bittersweet.”

“That really happened?”

“Swear by my love for Sirius.”

“And you don’t think he’s nuts?” he asked very quietly.

“Welllllll,” you pretended to hedge. “Of course not. He’s impulsive and reckless, but he’s not crazy. And we’re going to give him the family he needs to value enough to tone down the antics, right?”

“How?”

“Well, you’ll need to find what works for you, but I use sex a lot.”

Harry threw himself back on the bed with his hands over his ears. “Nooooo! Why would you tell me that aaaarrrrghhh!”

You rolled your eyes. “What are you, two? Geez, like we wouldn’t have sex.”

“Ugh you did it again!!!” he was now rolling around the bed as of in grievous pain as you laughed at his discomfort.

The door to the bedroom opened with Ron, Hermione, Ginny, George, Fred and Sirius coming to investigate the noise.

“What in Godric’s name is going on in here?” Sirius bellowed to be heard over Harry’s dramatic wailing and laughter.

“I believe I am almost through ruining Harry’s childhood by telling him that we have tons of sex.”

“Oh Merlin, really?” Ron stomped over to sit with Harry in solidarity.

“Really? You’re one of seven children, Ron. Do the math.”

The other four were standing around looking at you expectantly for details.

“That’s it. No details. No particular positions that we enjoy, although Harry? Doggy style is rather an obvious one,” you called over to him to be obnoxious.

Sirius was trying not to laugh as he dragged you out of the room and up the stairs to his room. “The twins looked like they were about to ask if they could watch,” Sirius laughed. “What on Earth were you doing?”

“Trying to make friends with Harry. So I brought him food and emotionally scarred him. I think it went well.”

“Merlin, I love you.” He pulled you close for a kiss, smiling into it to express his joy at seeing his two favorite people trying to get along.

As his kisses got a little more frisky, you backed away.

With a big smile, you said, “Darling, I have a headache or something for the next,” you looked at your watch, “four hours. Go away.”

“Harry wants me to himself?”

“Yes, love. He needs you.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

He walked over to you and pulled you in for a kiss. “You are the kindest, most understanding woman I have ever known. You will do both of us a world of good by being the heart of our family. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now I am going to read in bed and if I am asleep, I expect to wake up with your tongue doing its magic. Deal?”

He leaned his forehead against yours as he shivered at the image. “You absolutely have a deal. I love you.”

* * *

After that, you and Harry became fast friends. You were careful not to tread on Molly’s toes, though. She had accepted him into her family when Harry had no other and you loved her for that. He also had his own mother who had given her life for his, so while for the majority of his life he’d had no parents, now he had Mums aplenty.

And with Sirius, Arthur and Remus, he had father figures, too. Sirius was ecstatic to have his boy with him and Harry seemed to relax a bit, even with all that was going on.

“Sirius, what happens if they convict me?”

“Well, I don’t know how we’d bear the shame of having an outlaw in the family,” he said, giving Harry’s shoulder a playful shove.

Harry laughed at that but sobered rather quickly. “Really, though. What will I do?”

“Well, I expect we’ll be safe here, though I’d prefer to leave this mausoleum. Y/N is from America, perhaps we can go there. Or anywhere, really. We both have enough money to live on the run comfortably.”

“You’d leave England?”

“Harry, I am very very tired of being vilified for trying to do the right thing. And if those blind cowards at the Ministry do to you what they did to me, then yes. I would grab the people I love and do a mass exodus and let them pay the cost this time.”

“I wish you could come with me tomorrow,” Harry said quietly. “Or Y/N.”

“Y/N said she would before and you said no! She absolutely will. She loves you very much, Harry.”

“I know. It’s sort of strange having so many people who care for me part of the year and then…well.”

“Vernon and Petunia. Two more vile people…well actually I know quite a few death eaters so I think they’re marginally worse, but you get my point.”

Harry laughed. “Yes, I do.”

“Mr. Weasley is the best one to take me,” Harry sighed. “I just…kinda wish you two could go.”

“I know, m’boy. Y/N will still go if you ask her.”

“Maybe.”

“Would you want me to ask her?”

“Won’t people wonder how she knows me?”

“Y/N is actually a frighteningly good liar. It was what first made Moody approve of her. Fairly certain she can come up with a reason and make it convincing.”

* * *

The day of the hearing you went in to work early to get a head start on paperwork and not feel bad about taking the time to go to give Harry moral support at the hearing. You would be waiting in the hall but at least you would be there.

At a few minutes before 8 you went to Arthur’s office to see if Harry wanted a cup of tea while he waited so Arthur could get in a bit of work before the hearing. You were almost there when you heard Arthur exclaim and saw him and Harry racing out of his office.

“They moved the hearing location and time, Y/N,” Arthur said as they moved toward you. You moved in step with them to the elevator, anxious to realize that you were so far away from where you needed to be so soon.

You put your arm around Harry and have him a quick hug. “I’ll take you to Ilvermorny myself I’d they expel you. But they won’t. But if they do, we’ll all still love you. But they won’t expel you because you did nothing wrong! And they better have a pretty decent army if they try to convict you of anything. You’re my cub now, and this mama bear is not going to play games.”

“Merlin, Y/N, I am not a cub,” he said, embarrassed but warmed by your concern. Even if he was nearly an adult, it felt kind of good to have a Mum-type he didn’t have to share.

You ran steps after you got off the elevator and delivered Harry with one last kiss and wish of good luck.

You and Arthur waited in tense silence. When Harry finally emerged you threw your arms around him, then tensed as the entire Wizengamot filled out behind him.

After a rather cold exchange with Lucius Malfoy, which ended with him giving you a look filled with consideration, you finally walked Harry and Arthur to the Atrium and hugged Harry goodbye.

* * *

You could tell that Sirius was happy for Harry, yet he was disappointed as well. That evening you were in your panties and a tank top getting your hair ready to wash your face when you said, “Honey?”

“Hmm?” he answered from the bed where he lie brooding.

“You’re happy for Harry, right?”

“Course.”

“Because…you almost seem disappointed.”

He looked at you, grey eyes snapping, but he remembered the last time he verbally snapped at you and wouldn’t put it past you to put him out of his own bed. “You want the truth?”

“Always.”

“Yeah, I would’ve been alright with him being here all the time. I know, I’m a selfish prick.”

“Nah. You’re sick of this house and you wanted a playmate. I get it.”

He tilted his head as if to look at you from a different angle because the original one didn’t make sense. “Why do you always understand me?”

“You’re just lucky, I guess,” you said with a wink and walked into the bathroom.

You bent over the sink to wash your face, and you felt hands on your hips. When you rinsed the soap from your face and patted a towel across your skin, you felt something else pressing against your ass.

You leaned back against Sirius’ chest and put your arms around his neck, thrusting your breasts out in the process. Sirius was watching you in the mirror and groaned to see your nipples pebbled against the thin cotton of your top. His hands slid up your sides and under your top to remove it, then cupped your breasts while he kissed your neck, but his eyes never left yours in the mirror.

You started grinding back against Sirius’ cock, loving the sight of his long fingers caressing your nipples and squeezing your flesh. One of his hands started sliding down your ribs and stomach to slide into your panties.

You dropped one of your hands from his neck and reached between you to stroke his cock, then pulled your panties off and reached between your legs to guide him into you.

You held onto the sink and kept eye contact with Sirius in the mirror as he teased you with long, slow strokes. You pushed back against him but he refused to pick up the pace, continuing to slowly thrust into you. You started to work him with your inner muscles, trying to squeeze a faster pace out of him.

It worked. You saw the fire in his eyes as he shuddered before speeding up his tempo and reaching around you to tease your clit as he started snapping his hips into you harder and faster. You were moaning incoherently, the only words that Sirius could understand were his name and ‘please.’

Your face dropped forward and he gently lifted your chin to look back in the mirror. He wanted to see the look on your face when you came. He had to see your eyes when he came inside you.

“You gonna come for me, Y/N? You gonna squeeze my cock?”

“Yes yes oh stars yes,” you moaned, looking into his eyes as the pleasure washed over you. You held on to his arms as your legs went wobbly, one of his hands around your waist and one under your chin. 

You felt him slam harder into you, knew that his high was close, so you looked into his eyes and panted, “Come for me, Sirius. Fill me up.”

With a growl, Sirius thrust deeply one last time, softly biting your shoulder as he looked into your eyes. 

“Merlin, love. That was amazing,” you breathed, finally looking away from the mirror to kiss him. “How about I’ll be your playmate?”

“Best playmate ever,” he said, picking you up to carry you to the bed. “And I’ve just thought of another game we can try tonight.”

“Another? What are the rules?” you played along.

“No rules,” he growled as he laid you on the bed. 

“Then how do I win?”

“I think we both win,” he said against your lips.

“I think I’m going to like this game.”

“I know I am,” he said with a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Sirius. Always will.”


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

You hugged Harry and the rest of the kids goodbye the night before they were to leave. You were going to miss them but knew they were excited to be returning. Sirius had been a bit down but you had faith that you could distract him from his doldrums.

You went to work the next morning as the house was rising, knowing that Sirius would be in a mood. He had asked Dumbledore if he could accompany Harry to the station and he had refused. You hated to say that the man you loved was pouting like a toddler, but…well he was pouting like a toddler.

And you also hated to agree with Dumbledore, but dammit in this case he was right. It was dangerous to both Sirius and Harry for him to go to the station. Pettigrew was sure to have told about his animagus form. It was beyond unsafe. Surely he understood that?

* * *

When you arrived home from work and went to the kitchen, Sirius wouldn’t meet your eyes.

You kissed him hello and said, “Hey, are you OK?”

“Of course!” he replied pleasantly. “How was your day?”

“What’s going on?” you asked, suspicious of his cheerful demeanor. “You should be in a pissy mood. You were pouting like a toddler in time-out last night.”

“Why do I have to be in a pissy mood?” he asked uncomfortably, avoiding answering the question.

Remus and Molly were both studiously avoiding your gaze as well, though Molly had a cat who caught the canary look about her.

“Sirius,” you said very quietly, causing him to wince. He knew you well enough to know that you got very very quiet just before you exploded, much like the calm before the storm. “Did you go to the station?”

Sirius put his hands out in front of himself in a warding gesture. “Look, nothing happened! It was perfectly safe.”

You felt rage and fear and and hurt bubble to the surface of your mind. You began blinking rapidly, as if you could not believe the words you had just heard. “You lied to me.”

“Now, darling –”

You held up a hand in the universal sign of Stop! “If I speak right now, I promise you will not care for it.”

“Love, we can –”

You turned on your heel and stomped up the stairs, whacking his mother’s portrait on your way to the front door, gratified to hear her screeching as you slammed the door and went upstairs instead.

Sirius didn’t see you go up the stairs, and the screeching of the portrait covered the sound of your stomping.

“That went well,” Remus said sarcastically as he helped Sirius cover his mother’s painting.

“Fuck off, Moony.”

Sirius stormed up to his bedroom, knowing better than to follow you in dog form when you were pissed at him for going out in dog form.

He opened his bedroom door and was shocked to find you lying on his bed, face in the pillows and sobbing.

“Love?” he croaked, regretting his actions keenly.

“What?” you snapped.

“I’m so sorry, darling,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t think –”

“You don’t do that much, do you?” you interrupted. “At least not about how anything will affect anyone but you.”

“I’m sorry, love, it was thoughtless.”

“I stayed here so you wouldn’t go crazy, but you need to leave me alone. I’m going to go to my apartment or one of the other bedrooms.”

“No. Stay here. I won’t be sleeping tonight anyway,” he said, turning and leaving the room.

* * *

A few hours later you had settled down and wanted to talk to Sirius – and just hold on to him and reassure yourself that he was OK.

He wasn’t in Buckbeak’s room, which surprised you, but you found him two floors down on the Drawing Room, staring into the fire and drinking.

You came in quietly and sat down on the arm of the chair he was in, but he must have heard you come in because he didn’t start. He slid his arm around your waist but didn’t pull you any closer, not sure of your mood.

“Why, Sirius?”

“I’m an idiot,” he replied calmly, taking another drink.

You took the glass from his hand, stood and put it on a table, then straddled his legs so he had to look you in the eye. “Why, Sirius?” you repeated.

“I hate being helpless, useless. I am as much a prisoner here as I was in Azkaban. Most of the memories that tortured me in Azkaban were made here.”

“Then let’s leave. We can find somewhere else. I’ll go with you!”

“I can’t leave Harry!”

“I didn’t say let’s go to Australia. Fuck, Sirius, we could get a cottage in Scotland and freeze our asses off and still be safer than you taking off for walkies!”

“I was protecting Harry!”

“You were bored and wanted to go out! You already lied to me when you said you wouldn’t go, let’s not lie about the reason, too!”

“Have you forgotten that Harry is in constant danger?”

“And he had plenty of protection. You wanted to go.”

“Yes!” he yelled in your face. “I bloody well wanted to go! Happy?”

You leaned forward and asked him very quietly, “Do I fucking look happy to you, Black?”

“Not really,” he replied calmly. “But why would you be, having a great idiot like me as a partner.”

“Oh don’t pull that shit,” you sneered. “This is where I tell you that I love you and you’re a great partner, right? Well, I do love you, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. AND I WANT TO KEEP YOU!!! Why is that so hard to grasp? You. Are. My. LIFE!”

You backed off of his lap. “Look, if you want me to leave, just say so. Grow a pair and say so. But if you want me to stay, figure out what’s worth losing me over, because I won’t live like this forever.” With that, you returned to his bed, too tired to go home to your apartment and let him have his bed.

* * *

Not long after you crawled into bed, Sirius appeared in the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re right. I was an immature ass. I lied to you. I put myself in danger, and probably Harry if I’m honest with myself.”

“What if someone had cast the spell to turn you, Sirius?”

“I hadn’t considered that,” he whispered.

“How many of our friends’ lives would be ruined if they were convicted of aiding and abetting a fugitive from Azkaban?” you asked in a dull voice. “How well do you think Molly and Arthur would do in Azkaban?”

“I get your point, Y/N,” he bit out.

“Fred and George are of age. Remus, Tonks, Moody…all of them would go to Azkaban. So you could go for walkies.”

“Alright!” he yelled.

“I would most likely go, too. But then, THE MAN I LOVE WOULD BE THERE, SO WHERE ELSE WOULD I WANT TO BE?” you yelled back.

“You have made your point,” he ground out between gritted teeth.

You got up on your knees to face him. “I don’t know about that. You say that you want to be a proper family with Harry and me, but so far you’ve only shown that you want what you want. I realize you had a shit family, but that’s not good enough for Harry and our kids.”

Sirius looked down and sighed. “Do you still want there to be ‘our’ kids?”

“Obviously. Idiot.”

“Why?” he whispered.

“Because someday you’re going to make a great grown-up.”

“Ha ha.”

You pulled him back onto the bed and straddled his lap again. “Sirius, I hate hate hate this house. Loathe it.”

“But you can leave it.”

“I know. But I kinda hate my job, too. Actually I despise my job.”

“Still. You get to leave here. I’d happily go to a shitty job to leave here.”

“OK, honey,” you said, crawling off his lap and lying down next to him. “I’m going to tell you a couple things.”

Sirius sighed. “Yeah, alright.”

“First: I wish we could be anywhere but here. I do. And I will follow you if you decide to go somewhere else. But while we’re here, you have to stay here. There are too many other lives at stake.”

He nodded reluctantly.

“Second: Don’t fucking lie to me. I hate liars and I won’t be with one.”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right and I’m sorry. But, can I just say that when I lied to you I didn’t intend to leave, so I didn’t actively lie to you.”

You mulled that over for a moment. “Yes, that actually makes me feel a little bit better. Noted.”

“Thank you,” he murmured, rolling to face you. “I really am sorry. I never considered consequences to anyone but myself. I was a selfish prick and I don’t deserve you.”

You put your hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him lightly. “I didn’t think you had. Selfish is actually the one thing that you aren’t, even at your worst.”

“The one thing, huh?” he said shamefacedly. “I have no idea why you all put up with me.”

“Because most of the time you aren’t at your worst, and you at your mediumest is better than most people at their best. You’re wonderful, sweetheart. That’s why so many people love you.”

“My love, I’m very sorry that I went out and endangered so many good people. I’m so so sorry that I betrayed your trust. I hope that you can forgive me?”

“Of course I can. I love you. And you said that you didn’t actually lie, and you didn’t try to lie when I figured it out. I think we can survive this.”

“Thank you, Y/N.”

“Just…try and use your head. You’re the grown-up here. Try and be a good example for Harry, yeah?”

* * *

You overheard Sirius talking to Harry from bed. At the end of the conversation, he seemed a bit snippy and told Harry that he wasn’t as much like his father as he thought.

He threw his dressing gown onto the sofa and came to bed in a temper, then noticed you were awake. “I suppose you’re going to scold me?” he asked with a sigh.

“Whyever would you think so, my darling?” you replied in a sticky sweet tone of voice.

“Because I was grumpy with Harry and I’m supposed to be the grown-up in the equation,” he said in a rote voice. “And because I suggested going to Hogsmeade when it isn’t safe. I wouldn’t have gone! I just…would like to see him.”

“Goodness gracious, seems like you don’t need to be scolded.”

“Hush,” he said with a smile. “I’ll make it up to him.”

“Then perhaps I should reward you for being such a good grown-up?” you said, kissing down his bare chest and then pulling the sheets over your head as you got to his abdomen and followed the trail to the treasure.

Sirius’ mood improved vastly.

* * *

Sirius had been stuck inside since his ill-advised trip to the train station when Harry returned to school several weeks earlier. He had promised to stay in afterwards, but he resented that he had to do so. He was still working on the whole 'grown-up’ thing.

It really didn’t help that you were going on missions now. He was even more frustrated when you were out Merlin knew where without him.

Tonight, Sirius was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, driving Remus to distraction.

“She should be back by now, Moony!” he said for at least the tenth time.

“Sirius, Y/N is a very capable woman, she’ll be fine,” Remus responded for at least the eighth time, but to be honest, he was growing concerned.

“Bollocks. BOLLOCKS! Fuck this, Moony, I’m going.”

“Sirius, you can’t!”

“She could be hurt! She should have never gone out with only that useless prick Quentin for backup!”

Remus didn’t comment. He rather agreed with Sirius’ opinion of Quentin. Moody hoped that working with Y/N would make him a better agent, but Sirius worried that it would just get the woman he adored killed.

“Fine, we’ll go, but you have to change as soon as we get there. Deal?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I can rip a fuckin’ throat out,” he said venomously.

Remus and Sirius disapparated from the kitchen, apparating a short distance from where you had been sent to stake out a suspected death eater safe house. Sirius immediately changed into his dog form and took off to where they heard a firefight in progress. _Godric, please let me be in time!_

He reached a dimly lit alley where he could hear a ruckus, and even a few spells being cast. Voldy needed to recruit better psychopaths if they couldn’t even cast nonverbal magic. He saw you crouched behind a rubbish bin and the wizards that had you pinned down, and though there were four of them left standing, he ran into them and used his hefty size and weight as a hound to bowl into them, creating enough chaos that your spells hit their targets and Remus’ arrival a few moments behind Sirius’ had even greater impact.

“Padfoot,” you called, dragging his attention from the death eater he was cheerfully mauling. Behind him, one of the wizards had regained his feet and was aiming his wand at Sirius. Without thought, you jumped out of your hiding place, casting every spell you could think of at the death eater, hoping for him to at least divert his attention from Sirius to you.

You were panicking a little. You had been fine holding off seven death eaters on your own – they had been amateurs, you just needed time to pick them off and then get the hell out. But Sirius being in danger changed everything.

“Moony, get Q out of here! He’s hurt.”

You heard the crack of disapparation and glanced over as Remus took Quentin away. As your eyes had darted away momentarily, the death eater had taken the opportunity to shoot a spell at Sirius as he came bounding menacingly at him. Sirius went down with a whimper.

“No!” you screamed, running straight at the other wizard and ramming your shoulder into his midsection. You were an American and you knew how to play rough, and by the stars he was not hurting Sirius any more.

His head slammed into the brick wall behind him, and when you saw his eyes roll back, you abandoned him. He didn’t matter. You skidded to your knees next to the great hound.

He wasn’t moving and you were terrified.

“Sirius? Oh, sweetheart be OK,” you said as you felt around on him for a wound. When you found no puddles of blood, you breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went and searched the dark wizards for information and relieved them of their wands. Then you wrapped your arms around Sirius and got him out of there and back to Grimmauld Place.

Remus was waiting for you, having called a healer for Quentin. “Get the healer in here, he’s hurt,” you said urgently.

“He’s working on Que–” Remus began.

“I don’t care! It’s his fucking fault we’re in this situation, let him die! Sirius IS HURT!”

Remus left the room, and you heard him running up the steps to fetch the healer as you ran your hands all over Sirius trying to find what was wrong with him.

“Remus what’s the spell to force him into human form?” you bellowed. You were panicking and could not remember the spell for the life of you.

He skidded into the kitchen and you moved out of the way so he could cast it, the healer hot on his heels. He knelt by Sirius and said, “It isn’t bad, he’ll be fine.” He cast a couple spells and then went back to his other patient.

You dropped your head to your chest in exhaustion, then got to your feet. “I’m going home, Remus.”

“But –”

“I had it under control until that idiot came plowing in! What the hell, Lupin? I realize he’s a large child, but can you not try to control him? I’ve seen fifteen year old girls make better babysitters!”

“I–”

“No! I am going home. I do not want to deal with that fool. Goodnight.”

After you stormed out of the room, Remus muttered, “They are perfect for each other.” Then he cast _Mobilicorpus_ on Sirius to get him up to his bed.


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

The next day was Wednesday and you were at work on time as usual. You had been sleeping at Sirius’ so much that it was weird to sleep alone in your own bed last night. You also were worried about him. The healer had said he’d be fine but you had left in a huff and needed to see for yourself.

You asked your boss for the rest of the day off. Honestly, you didn’t care if she said yes. You were really sick of this job anyway.

You left work and apparated in the alley near Sirius’ house and then went in. Moody was there when you came in and said, “Good luck with that.”

Not promising.

You went up to Buckbeak’s room and looked inside, seeing Sirius surrounded by empty bottles and laying against Buckbeak, completely pissed and passed out. Buckbeak gave you a look that you could swear said, “This is getting to be a full time job, lady.”

You bowed to Buckbeak. Usually he was fine with you; more than fine. However, if he took you as the reason for Sirius’ despair he may not be happy to see you. Sometimes it seemed like he thought Sirius was his baby.

He bowed back to you after a moment, so you went over and knelt next to Sirius, flinching a bit from the overpowering smell of booze. You stroked his hair and said, “Oh, love, I’m sorry. I have to quit running away from you. You deserve better.”

“Y/N?” he said, waking up.

“C’mon, sweetheart, let’s get you to your room.”

You helped him to stand and go up the stairs to his floor and into his bedroom.

“How drunk are you, Sirius?”

“I am very drunk.”

“OK. Shower or bath.”

He considered the question. “Bath.”

You nodded and went to run him a bath, then came out to help him into the bathroom.

“Do you want me to help you get undressed? Or should I get Remus?”

“Why would I want Remus?”

“I thought you might be angry with me for going home last night.”

“I don’t like it when you do that. I like it when you’re with me.” He started pulling off his clothes.

“I know, baby. I’m sorry I left.”

“Y’know,” he said with a drunken grin. “I might just pass out and go underwater. You should probably get in with me.”

He stepped into the tub and leaned his head back against the tub. “Uh oh!” he exclaimed as he slid under the surface of the water.

You smiled and tapped his head so he popped back up. “Next time I might not be able to resurface, darling.”

“I’m undressing. Wanna watch?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he said. “I am rather fond of your undressed state.”

“As am I of yours, my love.”

“I have no galleons presently as I am naked, but know that I am tossing mental money at your feet,” he said admiringly as your bra came off. When your panties joined it, he applauded loudly. You stepped into the tub and snuggled into his chest.

“When you sober up we need to talk about last night,” you whispered, loathe to ruin his mood but needing to say the words.

“I know, love. But I’m not there, so just let me grope you inappropriately and be happy for now, yeah?”

“Yeah,” you agreed, happy that he was well and you were together. “But just so you know, I have not yet experienced a grope from you that I have found to be inappropriate.”

“Blimey, I need to try harder,” he joked.

You reheated the water a few times, enjoying Sirius’ wandering hands before another part of his anatomy decided to join the fun. His kisses became more serious at that point.

“Love?” you moaned as he kissed the spot on your neck that he knew made you melt.

“Yes, Y/N?”

“Do we want to have the fight or the make-up sex first?”

“Hmmm let me see,” he speculated, sounding much more sober. “How about we make love, then fight, then have make-up sex?”

“We could try to have a mature discussion without screaming or running away!” you pronounced as if having a eureka! moment.

“Darling, we’re passionate people. We’re bound to disagree. However, if you’re that worried about running away, I would be happy to tie you to the bed,” he said against your neck, fingers sliding down your tummy to tease you.

You gasped, then bit your lip and moaned. “You are so good at relationships, Sirius.”

“Oh, does my darling fancy a bit of light bondage?”

“Can’t think of anyone in the world other than you I would even consider allowing to tie me up, so I have no idea. But it sounds sexy, and you’re sexy.”

“I think we should go and explore this before we fight.”

“Hmmm somehow I get the feeling you’re going to talk me out of fighting.”

“No, I promise, I want to tie you to the bed and argue with you while I put various parts of my body into yours.”

“Well, all right, but I better get more than a cursory disagreement. I want some enthusiasm.”

* * *

Some time later, Sirius untied your wrists and your body stopped shaking from the intensity of your orgasms. Sirius was still out of breath from his climax as well.

“Baby, we forgot to fight,” you panted.

“Let me just catch my breath and you can yell at me.”

“OK, love.”

A few moments later, you turned onto your side to face him, and he turned to face you, looking like a naughty boy.

“Have at me, darling,” he sighed.

You caressed his cheek. “Do you have any idea how frightened I was when you yelled and I looked and you were down?”

“I think so. Probably how I feel every time you go on a mission without me.”

You frowned. “Do you doubt my abilities?”

“No, love,” he said, grabbing your palm and kissing it. “You are amazing. I saw you in action when I got there. You had them on their heels, even outnumbered and with that imbecile Quentin. If I hadn’t lost my mind and run in you would have been fine.”

“So why did you?”

Sirius looked down for a moment, as if to gather his thoughts, and his eyes stayed down. “I am trapped here while the two people I love most in this world are constantly in danger. Harry is, just by virtue of who he is, but you…love, you don’t need to be in danger. I know you want to help, but I can’t bear it.” His eyes came up to meet yours, their stormy grey depths shimmering with emotion. “I can’t bear it, love.”

You looked at him, and you saw the depth of his anguish at the thought of losing you, and you made a decision.

When he saw the look of resolution on your face, Sirius was terrified that he had somehow offended you to the point where you were done with him.

“OK.”

“OK? OK, what?”

“I’ll stop. I didn’t know how much it hurt you. There are lots of people that can do what I do for the Order. I’m the only one who knows how to love you properly. So I’ll see if there’s some other way I can contribute.”

“Love.”

You kissed him. “Darling.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. Then he kissed you with so much joy that you laughed when he pulled away, a giant grin on his face.

“But!” you said sternly. “I want something out of this!”

“Anything! Whatever you want, darling.”

“No more leaving the house.”

He had a mutinous look on his face but agreed. “Yeah, all right.”

You pressed up against him and ran your hand down his stomach to the fun parts and said, “And next time I get to tie you up.”

* * *

Sirius was much happier after you told Moody that you weren’t going to go on missions anymore. Together, you and Moody decided that your particular skills could be valuable in more of a forensic capacity. Sadly, while he was lying low for the time being, the Order knew that there would be more magical crimes connected with Voldemort’s return, and the Ministry still was not acknowledging the connection. Therefore, your training in America would prove useful, the differences in training providing a fresh point of view.

In the meantime, you helped Sirius coordinate information and assets. This also served to keep him busy. A busy Sirius was best as he was growing more and more temperamental with his forced concealment in his childhood hell.

But Sirius was able to accept you assisting the Order in this capacity. Not because he didn’t trust your abilities, he told you several times, but because he simply couldn’t sit by while you were in grave danger. Investigating after the fact and helping to plan was eminently safer than patrolling or stakeouts.

* * *

Sirius finally came to the conclusion that you essentially lived with him and that you could give up your apartment. You agreed with him and began to move your things over. You had a rental agreement with the owner that lasted another two months so you took your time but were completely moved in by the end of October.

“You’re quiet, sweetheart,” you murmured to Sirius while you cuddled in his room the weekend you finished moving in. “You regretting having a roommate?”

Sirius smiled and pulled you closer, and there hadn’t been any room between you to begin. “No, darling, I love having you here. I’m just… it’s only a few days until the anniversary…”

“Oh, love, I should have known. I’m sorry,” you said sadly, giving him a kiss.

“Darling, you being here is the best thing to happen since that day. I just wish that I could be with Harry Thursday.”

“I know, honey, but he can’t come here.”

“And of course I can’t go there,” he said bitterly.

Rationally he knew that it wasn’t your fault and that you were doing everything you could to make his life liveable. But part of Sirius was still impatient and it was making him petulant.

Not that you couldn’t ah…talk…him around. And not that you were complaining about all the talking. You understood his frustration, though.

“Sweetheart?”

“Hmm?”

“Two things really. One, I could visit Harry for a little while during the day. Just to let him know we love him. I’d be back before supper.”

Sirius smiled and kissed you tenderly. “That would be very sweet of you.”

You smiled happily. “I’ll go and buy the kids all a ton of candy. And Harry some new clothes.”

“What’s the second thing?” he asked, rubbing your back affectionately.

“Love, i know we’ve talked about this before, but can we go somewhere else for you to hide? I know this place is safe but it’s so hard on you. And I hate how sad and frustrated you are.”

Sirius kissed you, kissed the breath out of you. “Darling, I would love to go somewhere else. But Dumbledore is quite insistent that this is the best place for me.”

“Best for whom?” you complained. “Sometimes I think he’s just keeping you here so you stay out if the way. Like your influence on Harry is inconvenient.”

“Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind. But then I think, I want nothing more than to make a family with you and Harry when this is all over. And if that means staying here and remaining safe, well…I guess I can try a bit harder.”

“I think my darling might need a present or two while I go shopping tomorrow,” you said with an impish grin.

“I hardly need new clothes, love.”

“Didn’t say you would be wearing it, now did I?”

Sirius got a wicked grin on his face and rolled you onto your back and showed you how much he liked all of your ideas.


	9. Chapter 9

You sent an owl to Dumbledore requesting permission to visit Harry on Halloween in the afternoon. Fortunately Harry had no classes your visit would interrupt. Dumbledore granted you permission and you went shopping.

You went a little crazy and bought Harry enough candy to share with all of the kids, which of course you knew he would. You also bought them various goodies you knew they would like from the time you spent with them.

Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny all got Quidditch related items. For Hermione you found a book on Ilvermorny, as she had shown a great deal of interest in the school you had attended. You also got the girls each a pair of cute earrings you saw.

Fred and George you bought a book on how to run a business and a magical ledger for them to keep track of their money. You had overheard their plans and while their mother would lose her mind if she found out, you actually thought it was a pretty perfect for them but understood why they were keeping it secret.

Harry got new muggle clothes and robes, pajamas and underclothes and shoes. Molly had given you all the kids sizes once you explained that in your family all the kids generally got gifts so no one felt left out. So then you bought all the kids new robes.

Generally speaking you spent a fortune and had a blast. You even got Molly some pretty earrings, Arthur a book on Muggle hardware and Remus a volume of Greek mythology.

And Sirius loved his present. Especially the unwrapping.

* * *

You flooed into Dumbledore’s office at the appointed time and he escorted you to a visitor’s room. Harry was waiting and you gave him a big hug.

“Harry, feel free to give Y/N a tour. I believe this is her first visit to Hogwarts,” he said with a kind smile.

“Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore.”

After Dumbledore took his leave you hugged him again. “How are you, sweetie?” you asked.

“It’s strange to mourn people I never met and barely knew anything about for my entire life,” he said honestly. “I’m alright, though.”

“Well, Snuffles and I wanted you to know that we love you and we’re thinking of you. So I brought you enough candy to make a Hippogriff sick.”

Harry laughed. “That’s a lot of candy,” he said, looking at all the parcels.

“I might have gotten one or two other things,” you said as you started handing him packages.

He was a little overwhelmed. “What’s all this for?”

“Just mark it down as I’m American and I like to shop,” you said with a wink. “Start opening, I want to see this place.”

Harry oooo’d and ahhhh’d his way through the packages and genuinely seemed to like everything. You helped him pack it all up and carried it up to the Gryffindor common room. When you arrived the other kids were there so you all went up to Harry’s dorm room where he hastily kicked dirty clothes under his bed.

“So this is where Si- you all live?” you stumbled.

“Yeah,” Harry replied with a smile. “This was my Dad’s room when he went here.”

You stood in the room and pictured Sirius with his best friends, back before the first war when they had no idea the sadness and joy their lives would hold. Sirius found his first happiness here. Now Harry was finding his.

You looked at Harry and he knew what you were thinking. You shared a smile.

Then you started handing out all the presents from you and Sirius.

“Snuffles picked a winner,” Fred said.

“These are great, Y/N, thanks!” George said, overcoming his confusion at your replacement book covers hiding the true titles of the books you got them.

“Need a moment, if you don’t mind. How can I alter someone’s appearance enough that he would be unrecognizable? Do you have any products for that?”

“Step up these stairs and into our office, my lady,” George guided.

“Hermione and Ron, you should stay down here for the time being. What you don’t know you don’t have to report, right? Ginny, I need your bravado and Harry your knowledge of Sirius.”

When you reached the twins’ room, you plopped down on one of their beds and said, “So I want to disguise Sirius so he can leave the house occasionally. Thoughts?”

“Dumbledore won’t like it,” Harry said.

“He can blow it out his ass. Sirius is going stir crazy. And cover your ears, Harry, but there’s only so much sex you can have in a day.”

“I’m going to need therapy,” Harry muttered.

Ginny slapped him up the back of his head. “Stop being a big baby.”

“Thank you Ginny. I cannot imagine why Sirius thought his presence was needed at the station when you were there. I would hesitate to pick a fight with you. Up high!” And you high fived Ginny.

“So I need a few different ideas. One that I had was an old person in a wheelchair. Another was the old Superman glasses idea, but with a hair color change and things. He’s make a pretty girl if he was shorter. Any thoughts? Any potions?”

“We can help, but Mum –”

You waved your hand and shook your head, “Guys, I would be in as much trouble as you would. I have no intention of spilling this.”

“You’re alright, Y/N.”

“Hey, you’re all like family. Yes, Ron & Hermione, you two as well.”

They sheepishly opened the door. “You didn’t hear a word of that, did you?”

“A word of what?” Ron answered.

Hermione looked worried. You held out your hand for her to sit next to you.

“I know everyone thinks I’m a goody two shoes, but I just see the possible outcomes. First, Fred and George, can you make a disguise that will last long enough that he won’t change in public? And can you be certain how long it will last since this isn’t a lark?” Hermione asked.

“Not right away, but Y/N, we promise we won’t send you anything without making sure we know details.”

“Ok how much money do you need?”

Fred and George conferred for a moment to and gave you a reasonable sum. You added an extra percentage to it so they could hire Lee to help them out.

“Now promise you won’t test it on younger kids, and really not on anyone you don’t trust.”

“Absolutely, Y/N. We’re honored that you trust us with this. We won’t screw it up.”

“OK. Same amount on delivery?”

“This is more than enough,” Fred insisted.

“Nonsense. Your research and development is worth money.”

After that, you gave out hugs to everyone and asked Hermione not to do anything that makes her uncomfortable. “I made sure to buy all of the clothes in stores that have shops in Hogsmeade, so if something doesn’t fit or isn’t your thing, Harry has all the receipts. I absolutely won’t cry my eyes out for the next three months if you hate my taste,” you said with a wink.

As the rest of the kids sorted through their loot, you and Harry left to go tour the school. After you had seen a good bit of the place, Harry escorted you back to Dumbledore’s office to floor home.

In the office, you hugged Harry and kissed his unkempt hair. “We love you, y’know?”

“I know. Me too,” he said a bit awkwardly, as if no one had ever said it to him before, or at least not recently enough for him to remember.

You whispered, “Wherever they are, your parents are watching and so very proud of you, Harry James Potter. And so are we. Try to enjoy your feast tonight and I will take care of Sirius.”

* * *

You flooed back to Sirius, anxious to be with him and tell him about the kids and your tour. Also, you simply didn’t want to be away from him any more than necessary on the anniversary of the worst day of his life. You got there and he was waiting for you. You could tell that he was not doing well, so you spent the rest of the day wrapped around each other and talking about James and Lily and the future and what you would name your kids if you were blessed.

Remus showed up at dinner time, as did Tonks. Remus added stories and you were laughing with them, happy to hear them. “You should tell Harry all of these stories when he comes home for Christmas,” you said.

“Won’t Christmas be festive in this mausoleum?” Sirius said sarcastically.

“Yes, it will!” you exclaimed. “I love Christmas and it will be happy or I will withhold sex from you for a month!”

“Ho ho ho!” Sirius said with a wide, terrified grin.

You collapsed in laughter against his chest, which made him laugh genuinely, Remus and Tonks joining in.

When you and Sirius went to bed, you made love slowly that night. It was a combination of sharing with him how much you truly loved him and reminding him that he was alive and would get his happily-ever-after if it killed you. He slept wrapped in your arms and didn’t cry himself to sleep on Halloween for the first time in fourteen years.

* * *

Sirius’ birthday was the following Sunday. You baked a cake and bought him presents and had a bit of a gathering. He was happy to spend the afternoon with friends, but after they left he was even happier to spend the evening in bed with you.

After round two of lovemaking, you were lying in bed together, cuddling and kissing and waiting for your heartbeats to return to normal.

“I have a bit of news I hope you’ll be happy about,” you said casually.

Sirius eyes flew open wide and he put a hand on your tummy and said, “Are you..?”

“Oh!” you exclaimed. “Oh, no, we’re not gonna make Remus a grandfather yet, love!”

“Oh,” he said, somewhere between disappointed and relieved. “It would be a bad time, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, it probably would, but I would still love to have your baby,” you said quietly.

Sirius smiled and kissed you tenderly. “One day, my love.”

“So the actual news…”

“Yes! Sorry,” he said with a laugh.

“We can talk about it tomorrow if you’d rather. Any old time tomorrow. Coz I will be here all day.”

“You took tomorrow off? That will be great!”

“I took all of them off. I decided to take you up on your job offer and become your full time kisser.”

“You quit your job?” he said, awed. “To be with me?”

“Yeah. I live with you and don’t really have any bills and you need me. So I am officially yours until you can’t stand the sight of me,” you said with a smile.

“That day will never, ever come, my love,” he said quietly. “I just hope you don’t come to regret all that you’ve given up to be with me.”

“I haven’t given up a single thing to be with you that I could ever regret more than I would regret missing time with you.”

Sirius kissed you and pulled you close. “I don’t even have the words to explain what you mean to me. ‘Love’ doesn’t seem powerful enough.”

“I know, I feel the same. But you are going to have so much time to be inspired into thinking up new ways to tell me how much you love me that you won’t even notice that we’re still locked up in this crypt,” you said dramatically.

“So I should compose poems to your beauty and kindness and tits?” he said with a naughty grin and a kiss to one of the aforementioned breasts.

“Definitely to my tits. You seem particularly fond of them.”

“And to what part of me will you compose poetry?” Sirius asked.

“Let’s see,” you pondered. “I do so love your eyes. And your lips are heavenly. Your neck is just so kissable. And your shoulders are so broad and strong. These fingers,” you continued, kissing his fingertips, gently biting the pad of one, “so long and perfect. Then there’s your treasure trail. That’s gotten me hot since your shirt came up when you were getting the attic key down. You have no idea how much I wanted to drop to my knees right then –”

Sirius started kissing you, your words stirring his passion. “Again?” he asked playfully.

“As you wish, my love.”


	10. Chapter 10

~~March, 2018~~

“Professor Black?”

“Yes?” you and your husband answered at the same time.

“Um Mrs. Professor Black?” the boy tried again.

You both smiled and the child asked you about a homework assignment on Nifflers that was due tomorrow.

You and Sirius both taught at Hogwarts, now, though Sirius was new this year as your youngest child had started at Hogwarts this year. He had thrown tradition to the wind and been the primary caregiver to your six children while you taught at Hogwarts. He changed nappies, taught ABC’s, broke up fights and taught your brood how to fly and speak French. There was a fair amount of shenanigans that occurred on the outskirts of Hogsmeade where you had built your home, but to be honest, their father was just as often the brains of the operation when the hijinks ensued.

Remus and Tonks had a cottage near your property, and while they didn’t compete with your numbers, their three children spent most days with Sirius while Remus taught Defense Against the Dark Arts and Tonks ran the local Ministry office.

Headmistress McGonagall had taken some heat for hiring Remus, but this woman was not one to back down. She told parents who threatened to pull their children from school that she was sure Durmstang or Beuxbatons would be thrilled for their patronage.

On his full moon transition days, Andromeda, Molly, Fleur or Ron would come to help out with the children so Sirius and you could cover Remus’ lessons. It worked out well and Remus was finally appreciated for the brilliant teacher he was.

It was a long road to your happily ever afters, though. You had lost so many friends to the evil that had brought you together, but their memories remained and you celebrated their heroism, some by naming your children after them. Your second son was Alastor after Moody, who was lost while escorting Harry to the Burrows. George had named his son after his twin Fred who had been lost at the Battle of Hogwarts.

Luckily the new Minister of Magic had long been a believer of Sirius’ innocence. Soon after Kingsley Shackelbolt took over leadership of the Ministry, Sirius was cleared completely, as well as awarded The Order of Merlin, First Class for his bravery in several battles against Voldemort in both the First and Second Wizarding Wars.

Because you had lost so many friends and family members, when you and Sirius had married, you planned to elope as Remus and Tonks had. It had actually been Molly who had encouraged you to have a proper celebration. “The world has seen so much darkness that we need to celebrate the light,” she had told you.

So in April of 1999, you became Sirius’ wife in a lavish ceremony and reception. There was food and drink and dancing and laughter. While you missed those you lost, you celebrated the victory for which they had given their lives.

Even though you had been together for nearly four years by the time you married, you found that being his wife actually felt different. The bond between you had been fierce from the start, but the promise of ‘til death parted you made everything a bit stronger.

You and Sirius were walking hand-in-hand to your classes and came to the point where you had to part ways. You gave him a peck on the lips and walked toward your outdoor learning area that you shared with Hagrid. You shared the duties of Care of Magical Creatures classes and had been able to add a few more courses to the curriculum. The gentle half-Giant was an amazing mentor and your children called him Uncle Hagrid.

By splitting the class with Hagrid, Headmistress McGonagall had made it possible for you to spend more time with your children during school days. Her accommodations when the children were babies made it possible for you to have a career and still be a good mother. You also owed her a debt for bringing Hogwarts into the future so that women didn’t have to choose between children or a career, as she’d had to.

Harry and Ginny visited often, their little terrors tossed into the mix with yours, and eventually Rose and Hugo Granger-Weasley became fixtures during summer breaks. Sirius had built a giant bunkhouse looking addition to the house as the children of all the families multiplied. The room was wall to wall bunk beds and slept fifteen comfortably.

And Sirius was living the life he never dreamed could be his. He was free, he had a beautiful wife who adored him, children (The Black Brood) that he adored and could mostly tell apart from the Lupin Litter, the Granger-Weasley Gang, the Weasley Whelps and the Potter Pack. There were also dogs and cats and owls and raccoons and whatever injured critters wandered into your yard. Buckbeak was allowed to migrate between Hagrid’s place and yours.

Euphemia had been born just the tiniest bit too soon after your wedding, but Remus was actually pretty impressed that his first grandchild was born a Black. Soon followed Y/F/N, the twins Regulus and Alastor, then Newton Hagrid and finally Minerva.

You had all you could have ever hoped for in your life.

You were pondering your good fortune when you heard your husband calling you. You turned and saw him trotting over to you.

“Are you OK, sweetheart?” you asked, concerned.

“No, I’m fine. I just wanted one more kiss.”

You smiled and gave him a loving kiss, holding him close and telling him without words how much you loved him, how over twenty years together had only deepened and improved the love you felt for him.

“I love you, Sirius.”

“I love you too, Mrs. Professor Black. I will always want one more kiss from you.”

~The End


End file.
